


everything i wanted

by captainmitang



Category: TWICE (Band)
Genre: F/F, chaeyu are already established and will be introduced later, lots of samo/mimo angst, slow burn minayeon, tragic jeongmi if you squint
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-09
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-02-27 18:34:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 93,448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22640308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/captainmitang/pseuds/captainmitang
Summary: Mina's had a lingering crush on Momo since the moment she first watched the older girl dance. She has always wanted to get closer to her, but not like this.orA college au where Mina switches bodies with Momo's girlfriend, Sana. Things get awkward real fast.
Relationships: Hirai Momo/Minatozaki Sana, Hirai Momo/Myoui Mina, Im Nayeon/Myoui Mina
Comments: 303
Kudos: 754





	1. i don't know you

The day started off notably unremarkable for Mina, but ended in a way she never would’ve expected.

She’d sat through her two classes of the day, Human Anatomy and Biochemistry, before going home, changing into something comfortable yet cute, and headed out toward the performing arts building on campus. It was there she was taking a hip hop dance class, which occurred twice a week for half a semester. 

Although it was one credit and completely unrelated to her degree, Mina absolutely loved dancing. She’d pursued it ever since she was in elementary school. Though she’d ultimately decided to not base a career around her passion, she still wanted to make sure that dance was a part of her life.

Luckily for her, the small yet talented dance community on her campus was very welcoming. She did a dance course every semester, and even participated in a yearly recital, choreographing her own routine to a song of her choice. 

Today, she walked to class feeling perky and refreshed, despite it being the end of a long day. The music streaming from her airpods was upbeat and intense to keep her motivated. 

Mina knew it was going to be a good class, and the thought of the teacher’s assistant, Momo, leading today’s session was only a small contributing factor to her unusually good mood...or so she told herself.

Momo was a mesmerizing force. When she danced, it was though Mina became enchanted, unable to take her eyes off the girl. Ever since she had seen the girl practice during her first dance class of college, Mina had become starstruck. Momo’s hard work and natural talent was unlike anything Mina had ever witnessed. Seeing Momo in motion lit a fire in Mina, reminding her of why she loved dance so much in the first place. She felt lucky to be in a course with the girl every semester, and even luckier when Momo was asked to be the TA for the class this time around.

Though Mina interacted with the girl very little outside of class, simply admiring her from afar, she found herself annoyingly smitten. It wasn’t just Momo’s dance skills that Mina admired, either. The little glimpses Mina caught of Momo outside of the studio were just as beautiful as when she was dancing. 

To put it plainly, Mina had a giant crush on Momo.

But Momo was dating Sana.

Sana, who was everything Mina wasn’t. 

Mina had accepted years ago that her crush would never amount to anything more. This allowed her to move on and have her own experiences in love and heartbreak, though she couldn’t deny her heart still beat a little faster whenever she watched Momo dance. She supposed, for better or for worse, her admiration would never disappear because Momo would always be gifted and the best at what she did. 

Momo would always be Momo, and she would always be Mina, watching her with sparkling eyes. 

Though she considered her crush more of a professional admiration at this point, Mina’s friends would still tease her about it from time to time. Her roommate had pointedly told her to enjoy class today, with a knowing grin. 

Mina increased the volume of her music, blocking out her own thoughts. She’d arrived at the building and made her way to the practice room on the second floor. It was big enough for about twenty people to fit comfortably, although there were only 13 people including Momo in the class.

When she got there, only Momo and one other guy and girl had beat her there. They were chatting while stretching. Mina took off her sweatshirt and tucked it inside her backpack, which she’d set down near the door. She put her headphones away and grabbed a water bottle, ready to join the mini circle that had already formed. 

Class went by like a blur. Momo showed the class a bit of choreography she had come up with to a Billie Eilish song. As she performed, Mina held her breath, trying to study her every move. The rest of the class clapped as the music stopped, and Momo gave a shy little bow, quickly trying to move on to teaching what she’d just performed. 

“Very good, Mina. You’re so fluid as always.”

Mina felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up as she made eye contact with Momo in the mirror. The girl had moved to stand right beside her, eying her form. “Close your hips a bit more here.” Momo’s hand was on Mina’s waist, gently guiding her into the right position. “Perfect!”

Mina nodded enthusiastically, repeating the move again until Momo was satisfied and moved on to the next person. She breathed a sigh of relief, trying to focus on the choreography and not how good Momo looked today. 

Class wrapped up too quickly for Mina’s liking. She packed up her things and pulled her sweatshirt back on for the walk home. Her classmates began to disperse, but Momo stayed behind to talk with their teacher, who had sat in on the class but let Momo have total control. Mina gave Momo a curt nod before she headed outside herself.

The sun was beginning to set, making the sky a dark shade of orange. Mina began to power walk home, looking forward to a long, hot shower. On her way there, about a hundred feet from the building, she suddenly spotted Sana walking toward her along the path. Mina guessed she was headed to the studio to meet Momo, as it wasn’t uncommon for the girl to appear there at night, even sometimes poking her head in to watch the end of a dance class.

The other girl looked beautiful and well put together as always. Her hair, which she had recently dyed light brown, bounced with each step she took. It was clear she was probably on her way to head out with Momo somewhere. The sight of Sana made Mina feel like a mess—grimy and unkept from pushing herself harder than usual during the class. It made her crave the warmth of a shower even more. Mina walked faster, hoping to breeze past the girl with as little of an interaction as possible.

Sana gave Mina a polite smile and wave as she grew closer and began to descend a short flight of stairs. Mina gave her a small wave back as she walked up the same set of stairs. Luckily that was it—just a simple greeting with no small talk. Breathing out a sigh of relief, Mina was nearly in the clear when she heard the scuff of a misstep. Sana, who was about to pass beside her, began to teeter forward with a look of surprise on her face. It was like the world slowed down and Mina could see very clearly that Sana was about to fall if she didn’t do something about it. 

Out of instinct, Mina quickly reached to stabilize the girl by grabbing her arm, but Sana’s forward momentum was too much for Mina to prevent. Sana’s feet flew out from under her and she went tumbling down, and Mina, with her iron grip on Sana’s forearm, went tumbling with her. As they both slid toward the ground facing opposite directions, their heads collided jarringly. 

A flash of white shrouded Mina’s vision as she felt the rough corners of each step slide down her back. She heard Sana let out a grumble once they had both reached the asphalt path at the bottom of the stairs. It wasn’t a terrible fall, but certainly didn’t feel great either. Mina was thankful that her backpack had slightly cushioned her fall, although oddly she couldn’t feel it on her back anymore. Maybe it had slipped off.

A moment of peace—the last moment of peace Mina and Sana would both experience for awhile—passed as both girls collected their bearings and came to their senses. 

There was a shriek, followed by the sounds of scrambling. Mina opened her eyes only to be met with a finger pointing threateningly in her direction, a foot away from her face, and someone who was the spitting image of herself on the other end of it. “Who are you?” the girl demanded, looking shocked. 

Mina realized she was still on the ground, and her body now ached slightly from the tumble. She sat up, wincing at the throbbing in her head. It took a moment for her memories to return to her, but when they did, she remembered Sana slipping, and herself reaching out to catch the girl. 

The noble act had backfired tremendously when Sana had taken Mina down with her.

The girl pointing at her in accusation looked identical to her down to the clothes she was wearing. Those were Mina’s Adidas sweats, and even her favorite pair of shoes. It took a minute for Mina to even find her voice to answer the girl. 

“I’m Mina,” she finally said, staring back at the girl in confusion. “Who are _you,_ and why do you look exactly like me?” As soon as she spoke, her voice sounded wrong out loud—higher than she was used to. It made her wince. 

“Mina?” her doppelganger asked, sounding unconvinced. “You’re definitely not Mina. You look just like _me._ ”

Mina rubbed her head, finally making an effort to stand. It was then she caught sight of the black thigh highs on her legs, and the dark jeans and trench coat she had on that _definitely_ did not belong to her. She froze, unsure of how to react. These clothes, she realized, were exactly what Sana had been wearing just a second ago. 

“Wait…” Mina’s hands trembled as she held them up in front of her wide eyes. Even her hands looked different, and her nails were painted a light, pastel pink. Just last night, she had painted them light blue. “This can’t be happening.” 

“What’s happening?” the other girl asked, looking genuinely confused. She made a strange face at the sound of her own voice, clearing her throat. “Tell me what’s going on!”

Mina finally looked up at the girl sporting her own face again, and the sight nearly made her faint. There was only one explanation. “Sana?” she asked, quietly. 

The girl nodded. Then, as if suddenly struck by an epiphany, Sana looked down at what she herself was wearing and gasped. So caught up in seeing her twin, she hadn’t taken note of the differences about herself until now. She had _definitely_ not been wearing all this a minute ago. How was it possible her clothes had changed in an instant? Had she been out for awhile after the fall? No, that didn’t make sense. “Wait a second,” she said out loud. “If you’re Mina, but you look like me, and I look like you then...we...switched bodies?”

Mina felt her legs suddenly give out on her, but Sana was there, hoisting her up and keeping her steady. “It’s not possible,” Mina murmured, hating how light and airy her voice now sounded. “This is—”

“Incredible,” Sana finished, looking at Mina in awe. 

“Not the word I’d use to describe it,” Mina replied, crossing her arms out of habit but quickly uncrossing them again, suddenly feeling self-conscious. “Why did this happen? _How_ did this happen? This is literally impossible.” 

Sana simply shrugged, looking so unbothered that it bothered Mina. “It’s like something out of a drama.”

_But this is not a drama_ , Mina wanted to scream. _This is real life. Things like this don’t happen._

“Sana! There you are,” a voice chirped suddenly, startling both Mina and Sana. Momo appeared in the distance, rushing toward the two girls. She had changed out of her sweaty dance outfit and into something fancier, though her hair was still slightly tousled from class. Mina’s stomach twisted at the sight of the girl, who had an excited grin on her face. When she reached them, she lightly pecked a kiss on Mina’s cheek, making the girl choke up in surprise. 

“Are you ready to go eat? I’m starving!” Momo smiled brightly at the person she believed to be her girlfriend. “Are you okay? You look kind of pale…” 

Mina didn’t know how to react or respond to the look of adoration Momo was giving her. Momo thought she was _Sana_. And why shouldn’t she, when Mina looked exactly like her? “I—I’m not feeling well,” she mumbled, barely able to get a few words out. She looked toward Sana desperately, begging for any kind of help with her eyes. 

The other girl, who was intrigued by the situation, snapped to attention and immediately stepped in to help. “She slipped on the stairs. I tried to catch her but she took me down with her,” Sana explained. “I think she might be a bit sick.”

Momo immediately moved closer to Mina, inspecting the girl’s face for any cuts or bruises. “You’re so clumsy,” Momo scolded. “Are you hurt?” When Mina shook her head slowly, holding in an internal scream, Momo looked relieved. Turning to Sana, she asked if she was alright as well, and thanked her for trying to save her girlfriend from the fall.

“Anytime,” Sana said, giving Momo a warm smile. She was clearly amused by all this, and not jealous due to the absurdity of it all. There was an awkward beat as Sana remained standing there, looking between Momo and Mina. She realized that must’ve been a weird thing for her to do, cause she quickly cleared her throat and said her goodbyes to them both. 

“Hope you feel better, _Sana_ ,” she called, over her shoulder. “And I’ll see you next class!” She gave Momo a small wave and readjusted Mina’s backpack over her shoulders before she continued walking down the path, leaving Mina and Momo alone.

A sense of dread filled Mina as Sana got further and further away. How could she abandon her in a situation like this? Where was she going?

“Mina’s sweet,” Momo murmured, as she watched Sana walk away as well. “I would’ve just laughed at you if you slipped in front of me.”

Momo expected a whine, or at least a playful shove from her girlfriend, but there was nothing. In fact, the girl was looking at Momo rather strangely, like she could see right through her.

Immediately, Momo knew something was really wrong. “You know I’m joking. With my lightning-fast reflexes, I would’ve totally caught you. Then when you were safe and sound, I would’ve laughed.” She stared at her girlfriend, waiting for even a hint of the smile she knew so well. But there was nothing.

Mina couldn’t even bring herself to laugh half-heartedly. She could only stare back at Momo apologetically, because everything about this felt _wrong._ That joke was meant for Sana to hear, for Sana to whine about. Mina was supposed to be home now, far away from this. 

Frowning, Momo took a step forward. “Are you okay?” she asked, grabbing the other girl’s forearm and slowly sliding her hand down until their fingers were entangled together. Mina hated how naturally her body responded to it, taking Momo’s hand without hesitation. 

Mina swallowed, biting her tongue to try to quiet the thundering of her heartbeat, which was ringing in her ears. Momo was dangerously close to her, only illuminated by the faint streetlights overhead. She’d been close to the other girl many times over the past few years, but this was scarily different. Mina finally shook her head, without saying a word. All her logical thoughts were screaming at her to drop Momo’s hand and run. She knew Momo would chase after her, though. She always chased after Sana. 

“You’re really not feeling good, huh?” 

“I’m sorry,” was all Mina could say. 

Momo bit her lip. “Don’t apologize. Let’s just get you home and reschedule dinner for another day. Sound good?” Her voice now was surprisingly cute and gentle—a lot less intimidating than it was during class.

Mina would’ve appreciated the sound a lot more if she wasn’t in this predicament. “Yeah, that sounds good. I’m sorry,” she repeated, weakly, not really knowing what else to say. All she knew was that she needed to find Sana and figure out a way to switch them back, immediately. 

“I’ll walk you home,” Momo offered, reaching for Mina’s right hand and taking it in her left. “Are you gonna be okay to walk? I can give you a piggyback ride if you’re not.”

Momo’s hand was soft and warm, and also surprisingly tiny in Mina’s. Part of Mina wanted to pull her hand from Momo’s, feeling bad that she had conned the girl into believing she was her girlfriend (as if she had a choice in the matter), but another part of her liked it. It’d been awhile since someone had held her hand and looked at her like that. But it wasn’t really her hand that Momo was holding, Mina had to remind herself. It was Sana’s. Momo was _Sana’s_. 

“I’m fine to walk,” Mina assured, as the two fell in step side by side with one another. Truthfully, she didn’t feel sick at all, besides the pit in her stomach churning with disbelief and guilt. Hopefully she could get Momo away from her long enough to find Sana, and stop playing this dangerous game. 

Since Mina wasn’t doing any talking, Momo filled the silence here and there, asking how her day went, and telling her about how class went today. Mina answered her questions as generally as possible, actually having no idea how Sana’s day went, let alone what a normal day for Sana was like. 

After all, her and Sana weren’t even friends. Sana happened to be someone dating a girl she had classes with. That was all. 

It felt like an eternity until they finally reached what appeared to be Sana’s dorm building, which was coincidentally a few buildings down from Mina’s. “I’ll go in with you and get you settled,” Momo replied, when Mina stopped outside the door nervously. 

Shaking her head violently, Mina refused the offer. “It’s okay, I’ll be fine getting inside on my own.” It was a lie, of course. Mina didn’t even know which apartment was Sana’s. 

Momo pouted at that. “Are you sure? I’ll even tuck you into bed and make you some hot chocolate. With marshmallows.” 

Mina hesitated for a moment, seriously considering the offer because it sounded irresistibly nice. But she quickly shook her head again, insisting Momo get home and get some rest herself. 

“Fine,” Momo sighed. “But text me if you need anything, okay?” She took Mina’s face in her hands and leaned forward, brushing the girl’s lips with her own. Mina let it happen for a second before she ducked away, interrupting the kiss. She felt like a complete fraud. 

“I’m sick,” Mina said, not meeting Momo’s eyes. If she hadn’t looked away, she might have seen the hurt and confusion in them. “I don’t want you to get sick, too.” 

“If you’re sick, then I’m already doomed. It’s part of the package deal,” Momo insisted, shrugging. “But okay, I’ll leave you alone to rest, then. Goodnight!” she snuck one last kiss on Mina’s cheek before she turned around and began to walk away, leaving Mina standing in front of the door dumbly, without a clue what to do next. 

If this was a nightmare, she surely would have woken up by now. 

“Mina,” a voice hissed, making her jump nearly a foot in the air. 

Turning around, Mina noticed a bush beside the apartment building entrance rustling. She prepared to make a run for it. 

A moment later, a figure emerged, and sure enough, there was Sana standing there with a wide grin. “Making moves on my girlfriend, huh?” she teased.

“Oh, thank god it’s you,” Mina put a hand to her chest, sighing with relief. “Why would you just leave me there like that?”

Sana put her hands on her hips, shrugging. “There was nothing I could really do, and I had a feeling you’d take care of cancelling dinner with how scared you looked when Momo kissed you.” Sana certainly hadn’t missed the way Mina had almost squirmed in pure disbelief and terror. “Plus, I kind of wanted to see how cute Momo and I actually look together from an outside perspective.” She seemed satisfied by whatever she’d seen, watching Mina and Momo from afar for most of their walk to the dorms. 

“How are you being so relaxed about this?” Mina demanded, feeling anger swell up in her chest at Sana’s easygoing expression.

“It’s out of my control. The universe wanted this to happen for whatever reason.” Her statement didn’t seem to be making Mina any less angry, so Sana continued. “Look, we’ll figure this out. And until then, this is kind of funny.” 

If looks could kill, Sana would’ve been gone then and there. “We need to talk somewhere private. C’mon, let’s go back to the dance studio. No one is there after 6 on Wednesdays.” Mina took Sana’s wrist and began to pull her in the direction they’d just come from. 

“We were just there though!” Sana whined, but she let herself be dragged. She knew Mina was right—they had limited options of where to go to talk in private.

◆◆◆

Their walk back to the studio was uncomfortably quiet, with both girls sneaking peeks at each other along the way. Just as Mina had said, the studio was all but empty. They walked into a practice room, and Mina turned on the overhead lights before shutting the door behind them.

They were immediately greeted by the sight of their own reflections, plastered on the large floor-to-ceiling mirror in the front of the room. Sana set Mina’s backpack down on the wood floor behind them and spun back around to observe herself further. She tilted her head in various angles to see how she looked each way, and then hummed in satisfaction. 

“You’re really pretty, Mina,” Sana murmured. She couldn’t take her eyes off the mirror, even moving closer toward it to get a better look. 

Mina, on the other hand, couldn’t bear to look at her new reflection for more than a few seconds at a time. The sight of an unfamiliar person staring back at her made her stomach churn. Especially when that person was Sana, who Mina had envied ever since they first met last year when Momo had introduced her. She completely understood why Momo had fallen for Sana so quickly, though Mina hated to admit it. 

Mina tried to shake the feeling that she was unworthy of all this. Unworthy to be Sana. 

“Momo is going to lose her mind when she finds out!” Sana replied, with a mischievous look on her face. “I’m only telling you this considering the circumstances, but before Momo and I started dating, she let it slip that she thinks you’re hot. And she wasn’t wrong.” 

Momentarily stunned for multiple reasons, Mina blinked rapidly a few times to let her brain process what she’d just heard, before digging her heels in and looking at Sana as if she were a mad woman. “What do you mean Momo is going to lose her mind? Momo isn’t going to find out. We can’t tell anyone about this, Sana!” Her voice was surprisingly loud and adamant. 

Sana stepped back involuntarily and cocked her head in confusion. “What do you mean? What else are we supposed to do?” she asked, genuinely unsure. To her, letting Momo know was the logical next step. It was the _necessary_ next step. The interaction with Momo before was just for fun—but the game was over now. 

Mina began to rub her temples and squeezed her eyes shut, letting out an audible sigh. She was racking her brain for any ideas to help end this nightmare but was coming up short. “If we tell someone, they won’t believe us. They’ll think we’re insane.”

She could imagine Sana going to Momo and trying to tell her the truth, only to be met with complete disbelief and anger. Sana would escape any of the blame, but Momo might be so mad she’d never talk to Mina again. She couldn’t stand the thought of Momo thinking poorly of her, even if she was in a different body at the moment. 

“We’ll make them believe us,” Sana said, as if it were the simplest thing in the world. As if it were that easy. Mina bit her lip to hold back a cruel laugh. What an idealistic world this girl must be living in, to not be as worried as Mina was right now. “Momo will believe me if I tell her the truth.” 

For some reason, the certainty in Sana’s statement made Mina’s chest ache. Perhaps she craved that level of trust in someone else. She trusted her friends, sure, but this was on an entirely different level. “And if she doesn’t? Think about it, this is something that has never happened before in the history of mankind, as far as we know. It’s something we see on TV, in movies, but it’s not _real_.” 

“Look at us, Mina!” Sana exclaimed, raising her voice for the first time during this interaction. She stepped closer to the other girl, waving her hands down the length of her new body as if to prove a point. Her slightly amused mood was replaced with one of exasperation. “This is our reality! It _is_ real.” 

Mina swallowed roughly, shifting her eyes away from the girl in front of her who was beginning to get a little too close for her liking. “Telling someone about our situation isn’t going to solve the problem. We can’t live our lives in different bodies. We have to undo this, somehow.”

“Obviously,” Sana scoffed. Her irritation was beginning to fizzle down, however, as she continued to gaze at Mina, who looked more miserable than anything. “Do you think the fall caused it?”

“If I had to take a guess, yes,” Mina said. “It happened immediately after we bumped our heads together really hard. It seems like that was the catalyst.” In fact, the spot where their heads collided still ached, but the shock of the switch had made Mina forget about the pain almost entirely until now. 

As if reading her mind, Sana raised a hand and began to rub the sore spot on her own head, wincing. “So I guess we should try bumping our heads again to see if it’ll switch us back? I think you might have gotten a concussion from the first time, though,” she whined. 

“There’s no way we bumped heads hard enough to cause that,” Mina assured, but she glanced at the spot Sana was rubbing, slightly worried. “Stop rubbing it,” she scolded, afraid Sana was just going to make the injury even worse. Sana gave her a pout but dropped her hand obediently.

“Let’s just tap our heads together on the other side this time,” Sana suggested. She moved so that she was standing besides Mina, facing the opposite way so that the sides of their heads which hadn’t yet collided were side by side.

Mina took a breath, ready to brace herself. “This is idiotic,” she muttered to herself, but loud enough so that Sana heard it. 

“Well, do you have any better ideas?” she asked, genuinely all ears, but Mina remained quiet. “That’s what I thought. Now, on the count of three. One.” Sana looked at Mina to continue.

“Two,” Mina followed, a bit helplessly. 

“Three!” The girls knocked their heads together—more than a light tap but not a total slam. As their heads collided, they immediately bounced off of each other and grunted. The scene would have been a bit comedic under different circumstances, but Mina was not in a laughing mood.

Mina’s eyes were scrunched shut in concentration despite the pain, willing the forces of the universe to switch them back with every ounce of her being. 

“It didn’t work...”

Mina opened one eye slowly, seeing Sana staring back at her apologetically. Sighing loudly, Mina opened her other eye and let the defeat soak in. 

“What else can we do?” Sana asked, staring up at the ceiling as if it would give her the answer she so desired. “We have to tell someone. Maybe Momo will know what to do, or even Nayeon…” She started to walk toward the door, ready to find Momo immediately. 

Mina caught the girl’s forearm, tugging her backward. “Sana, please! You can’t tell them!” Her voice was desperate. “It’s possible they’ll tell someone we need help. Doctors could get involved. Do you wanna be a lab rat for the rest of your life? Or forcibly medicated? Have to drop out of school?” She could go on and on about all the ways telling someone could go wrong, but these were all worst-case scenarios, after all. “We’ll find another way to switch ourselves back. There has to be a way…”

“I guess you’re right but, what do we do in the meantime? How long will it take?” Sana sounded tired. All she wanted to do was run to Momo, who was no doubt home now, wondering what was going on with her. They’d collapse in Momo’s bed, completely intertwined, and just lay like that for awhile, with nothing more than their own heartbeats between them. 

“We...pretend to be each other.”

Sana stared at Mina incredulously, thinking perhaps the second bump had done more damage to the girl’s brain— _her_ brain, technically—than anticipated. “We...what?”

“Just for as long as it takes to figure this out,” Mina pleaded. “I’ll do some research right now and see if I can find anything. It won’t be long.”

“How can you be so sure?” Sana asked, running her mind through what it would be like to pretend to be Mina for more than a few minutes. She knew barely anything about the girl. Pulling it off earlier tonight was an exception, because it was only for a few moments and Momo’s attention had been on Mina, anyway. 

Mina crossed her arms and bit her lip, thinking. “I’ll take you back to my apartment. We can do some research there and we’ll figure things out. Lucky for us both, I have my own room, but my roommate might be home.” She habitually reached for her phone in the pocket of her sweatpants, but realized a bit too late that her phone was now in Sana’s pocket. “Um, what time is it? My phone is in my front pocket.”

Sana quickly reached her hand down into the shallow pocket and pulled out Mina’s phone, which was a newer model than her own. She tapped on the screen to see the time, noticing Mina’s lockscreen was a picture of a little brown dog snuggled on a bed. “It’s quarter to 7 now.”

Mina huffed. “Okay, my roommate is home but we might be able to dodge her and run right into my room. You know her, right? Jihyo?”

Nodding, Sana thought back to her experiences with the girl in question. She’d interacted with Jihyo a handful of times, having been in a class with her once, but beyond that, she didn’t know her well. From the few times they had talked though, she had liked Jihyo a lot. The girl had a bright smile, and had actually lent Sana her notes once when she missed a class due to a cold. 

“Okay, well if she tries to talk to you just say we’re partnered up for class or something,” Mina offered. “She won’t press if you say we have to get to work.”

Mina grabbed her backpack and swung it over her shoulder, but then she paused, staring with wide eyes at her reflection. It was still so odd to see Sana looking back at her.

“I’ll take that, for now,” Sana insisted, reaching out her hand to take the backpack from Mina. “Here, you take this.” After Sana had Mina’s backpack over her shoulder, she handed her own purse to Mina. It was a cute bag—large, black and designer. “Just to keep up appearances, like you said. It’d look weird to someone else if I was carrying your backpack.” 

Mina couldn’t argue with that. She took one last look at her new reflection before she followed Sana toward the door. She flipped the lights off in the studio and closed the door behind her.

The autumn air was chilly, and the sweatshirt Mina had put on after class did little to actually keep Sana warm. Noticing the girl beside her shivering slightly, Mina quickly apologized for not bringing something heavier. “I didn’t realize it was gonna cool down so fast,” she admitted. “But I didn’t think I’d be out this late, either.”

Sana had been well prepared for the cold, luckily. Her jacket was a thick, grey trench coat that nearly went down to her knees, keeping Mina perfectly warm. “You need to dress warmer,” Sana said. It was her turn to scold Mina this time. “You’re gonna catch a cold. Well...I guess actually I’ll be the one catching it, but you know what I mean.”

They walked side by side in silence for a bit, both trying to dodge anyone they happened to see walking by. Luckily they didn’t encounter anyone that either of them knew. Finally, they reached Mina’s dorm, which was only a few buildings down from Sana’s. They both lived on the outskirts of campus in the nicer buildings reserved for upperclassmen. “My keycard,” Mina replied, motioning for Sana to hand her the backpack. Mina fished out her card and opened the building door. She began to ascend a staircase to the right, before handing Sana her apartment keys. 

Sana pressed her lips together but managed to fiddle with the door key for only a little bit before she unlocked the door and swung it open. Being the first one to enter an unfamiliar apartment felt awkward, but she did it anyway. The lights to the small foyer and kitchen were already on. As predicted, Jihyo was home. In fact, she was standing in front of the open refrigerator, looking through it for something to make for dinner. 

When the front door opened, she glanced over with surprise to see not only Mina, but Sana shuffling in behind her as well. 

“Oh hey,” Jihyo said, greeting both girls with an easy smile on her face. “It’s been awhile, Sana.” 

As the girls slipped off their shoes, Sana accidentally opened her mouth to respond, but luckily Mina rushed to spit something out before the other girl made the mistake of answering. “Hey Jihyo, yeah it has been a long time. How have you been?” It sounded convincing enough, although it wasn’t exactly the greeting that Sana herself would have given. 

As Jihyo gave a quick summary of what she’d been up to over the summer—working a part time job at her father’s law firm—Sana quickly thought of how to streamline the conversation to get her and Mina out of there. 

“I didn’t even know you guys knew each other, honestly,” Jihyo said, once she’d finished talking. She gave Sana an amused yet curious glance. She was clearly waiting for an explanation from her friend.

Mina gave Sana a subtle tap with her foot as they fell into an awkward beat, all the while continuing to smile politely at Jihyo.

“Oh, um, we got assigned a project together for class. Actually, speaking of that, we should probably get working. It’s due Friday,” Sana spouted.

Jihyo nodded with an unreadable expression, continuing to stare Sana down. “Good luck! I’ll just be out here making dinner.”

They said their goodbyes and Sana quickly scurried in the direction she hoped Mina’s room was. The apartment wasn’t very big though, luckily, so she found the room rather easily. The door was open to reveal a tidy, small room with a few band posters hanging up on the wall, and a desk decorated with a few framed pictures and a small, blue penguin plushie. On her window sill was a light green cactus, not more than ten centimeters tall. 

Mina shut the door behind them with a sigh of relief. “Sorry about the mess,” Mina replied, setting Sana’s purse down on her bed and shrugging off the girl’s coat. There was no mess to be found—in fact, Sana was actually alarmed at how tidy the place was, but she didn’t say anything. She stripped off Mina’s sweatshirt and set it on Mina’s bed as well, feeling a bit hot indoors after walking in the cold. 

For some reason, Mina froze up at the sight of Sana without the sweatshirt on. Following the girl’s lingering gaze, Sana saw she was staring at the exposed part of her stomach that was showing from the crop top Mina had decided to wear. Looking down in amazement, Sana couldn’t help but run her fingers along the smooth, exposed skin, feeling Mina’s ab muscles underneath. “You’re really toned,” she observed, continuing to feel the solid muscles before both of her hands were snatched away by Mina. 

“Stop...doing that,” she hissed, giving Sana a warning glare. 

“You were the one staring!” Sana pointed out, with a playful tone to her voice.

Mina sighed, collapsing down in her computer chair.”It’s just...weird to see myself this way,” she explained, feeling her face flushing. “It’s different from seeing yourself in a picture or video, you know?”

The girl was right—this was an entirely weird and foreign experience to them both. There was something indescribably odd about seeing her own body through someone else’s eyes. At least, Sana noted, her makeup looked incredibly good today. She thought, bitterly to herself, that Momo would’ve loved it had she actually gotten to appreciate it for longer than just a quick walk through campus. 

Mina opened up her Macbook and began to google anything she could think of relating to their situation. The only thing that came up, of course, were fictional stories. There were no recorded cases of this happening in any online medical journals that she could find, either. 

Holding her head in her hands, Mina groaned. Sana, who was peeking over her shoulder, gave her an apologetic pat on the back. “So, bumping heads again didn’t help, but maybe when we go to bed we’ll wake up and this will all be over?” 

Sana was trying her best to stay optimistic. Their situation wasn’t ideal, but it wasn’t the worst thing that could happen in the world. She felt lucky that it had happened with Mina, of all people, though looking at the other girl, it seemed she was taking things a lot harder than Sana was.

“Maybe some sleep will do us some good,” Mina agreed, pulling her head up and doing one last search. “I’ll keep looking tonight in the meantime. There has to be something that can help us.” 

She turned to look at Sana, as if to cue the girl that it was a good time for her to head out, but then she remembered...this technically wasn’t her room anymore. This wasn’t even her apartment. 

“You want me to sleep here tonight?” Sana asked, as if reading Mina’s thoughts again. “I mean, if you wanna do the whole pretend to be each other thing. You can stay in my apartment....”

“Do you have roommates?” Mina asked, feeling slightly anxious at the thought of sleeping in Sana’s bed.

“My friend Nayeon, but that’s it. The layout of my apartment is actually almost the same as yours. We each have our own rooms like you and Jihyo.”

Sighing with relief, Mina nodded. Not having to share a room with a stranger was at least a plus. She stood up to give Sana a little tour of her room to get the girl settled. “My clothes are...in the closet. And in this dresser here.” She opened a drawer full of pajama sets to show Sana. 

“I normally just sleep in a t-shirt and shorts...it gets a little hot in here at night. The bathroom is right next door to my room. I share it with Jihyo. She takes showers at night and I shower in the morning…” her voice trailed off, suddenly thinking of having to shower in this predicament. Sana would have to shower tonight, unless she wanted to deal with the sweat of dance class still lingering...

Sana let out a breathy laugh, seeing the look of terror on Mina’s face. “I’ll be perfectly respectful with your body, I promise.”

Mina swallowed, feeling her face heating up. Her eyes shifted away from Sana’s amused grin. “Right, um, thank you. If we don’t switch back though, I do have a few classes tomorrow morning and afternoon that I really can’t afford to miss…”

“Wait, you’re a med student, right?” Sana asked, starting to look horrified herself. When Mina nodded in confirmation, Sana let out a groan. “Oh god, I don’t know how I’ll sit through those classes.”

“Just do your best to take notes...and we’ll swap them at the end of the day,” Mina replied. “And you’re studying law right?” 

Crossing her arms, Sana nodded. “I only have one class tomorrow, so you’re lucky. It’s my light day. I’ll send you a schedule, and you should send me yours as well.” 

The two girls grabbed their own phones. They instantly traded numbers and sent screenshots of what their days would look like. “We have to take each other’s phones too, right?” Sana asked. “I can’t be carrying my phone around all day looking like you.”

“I suppose not,” Mina agreed. Her fingers flew across her screen as she desperately tried to think of anything she didn’t want Sana to see. Besides a few embarrassing selfies, and a few texts to Jihyo where she might have been gushing over how attractive Momo was, there was nothing to hide. She removed the password from her phone and had Sana do the same, that way they’d have no trouble accessing them. “Let’s establish a few ground rules.”

“What, you don’t trust me?” Sana asked, in mock offense. But there was a mischievous glint behind her eyes that made Mina nearly squirm. “I know, I know. No snooping or looking into private stuff. It’s just common decency.”

Mina nodded, glad her and Sana were on the same page. “We should let the other person know if someone contacts us about something important. Like, let’s say my parents text me, you should let me know so I can tell you how to answer them.” She could only pray no one messaged her anything embarrassing while Sana had her phone.

“Well, I can tell you right now that Momo’s going to be messaging you a lot.” Sana wore a slight grin, quickly typing out a reply to the girl now. Momo was wondering how Sana was doing. The whole sick thing was a lame excuse, but she gave Mina credit for coming up with it on the fly. “She wants to grab lunch with me tomorrow. We always get food together on Thursdays.” 

Sana raised her head to look at Mina expectantly. 

“Can’t we...reschedule or something?” Mina pleaded. 

“I could but...if we want to be convincing, then you should at least do this. She’ll start to get suspicious if I start ignoring her, especially with missing out on dinner tonight.” Truthfully, Sana desperately didn’t want to hurt Momo. And since Mina was adamant about not telling anyone about the switch, the girl would have to step up and keep Momo happy for now. “Besides, you know her so it won’t be that bad, right?”

Trying to remain as cool as possible, Mina nodded. “I can try my best.” It was just lunch, right?

But Sana could see right through Mina’s exterior—the girl was nervous. “I’m normally pretty affectionate in public. You’ll have to kiss her at least a few times, or else she’ll think something’s up. The sick excuse won’t work for long.” 

Inside, Mina was quaking. “W-wait—”

“She’ll act like she doesn’t like it, but she loves it,” Sana assured, grinning as she watched Mina’s cool exterior crack before her eyes. Teasing the girl was fun. “I won’t strike you down or anything, it’s completely necessary...unless you want to change your mind and tell her the truth after all?”

Mina suddenly knew what Sana was doing—she was trying to get her to change her mind about the whole situation. It wasn’t gonna work. She wouldn’t risk getting locked up over this. “No. I can handle it,” she assured, though her voice shook and betrayed her. Sana found Mina’s nervousness to be cute. 

“Momo won’t bite,” Sana replied. “Well…”

The face Mina made was enough to make Sana giggle. She decided that was enough teasing for now. “So...since I honestly don’t know you very well, tell me about yourself.”

Mina wasn’t sure whether she wanted to laugh or cry at the question.

“I know you’re a med student and you’re big into dance—Momo’s always spoke highly of you—but what else? What are your aspirations? Who’s your best friend? What kind of music do you like?”

Mina sat down on the other side of the bed, thinking of how to answer, or rather where to start. “Other than being a surgeon, I’m not really sure,” Mina admitted. “I have two best friends, Jeongyeon and Jihyo. I like all kinds of music, but mostly pop and r&b.” 

Sana nodded, making a mental note. “You dated Jeongyeon, right?”

It was an unexpected question. Mina didn’t think Sana even knew who Jeongyeon was. She nodded slowly, feeling an explanation get caught in her throat. 

Sensing she was wadding into tense territory, Sana tried to be as casual as possible. “It’s nice you remained friends after everything. I haven’t been as lucky with exes in the past,” Sana replied, saying no more than that.

Swiveling back and forth in her desk chair, Mina nodded. Her friendship with Jeongyeon meant the world to her. They had dated during her sophomore year of college for about five months, before things had ended. “I don’t think either one of us could stand not having the other in our lives, even after everything,” Mina explained. “When I broke things off I knew it’d be too selfish to hope to still be friends, but we grew even closer afterward, surprisingly. Jeong’s a really great person.” 

Normally, Mina didn’t say things this cheesy, but she was feeling oddly sentimental tonight. And despite not knowing Sana well, the girl gave off such a welcoming and non-judgmental energy, even in a different body, that Mina felt safe talking about her feelings around her. It was kind of nice, actually. 

“I’m looking forward to meeting her,” Sana said, smiling fondly. “I know of her but we haven’t officially met.” 

Thinking of Sana meeting Jeongyeon under these circumstances made Mina somewhat uneasy. Jeongyeon and her had so many inside jokes, it certainly would be hard for an outsider to understand them. “Don’t get too ahead of yourself. We don’t know how long this... _switch_...will last. But, if you do meet her, you have to make sure you laugh at her jokes,” Mina said. “I’m the only one who does, normally. Jihyo just rolls her eyes.” 

“Sounds like Momo for me,” Sana mused. Momo liked to make fun of Sana often, laughing at her klutziness. Sana didn’t mind because she loved hearing Momo’s laughter. 

“What about you?” Mina asked, shifting the topic of the conversation to her. “You and Momo have been dating for over a year now, right?”

Nodding, Sana smiled brightly. “A year and two months.” 

“And you said Nayeon was a friend of yours, right?”

Sana’s bright smile continued. “She’s been my best friend since my first year here. She can be a little intense at times, just a warning.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Mina asked, raising an eyebrow. 

“She has a strong personality, at least around me,” Sana explained. “When you get to my apartment, she’ll probably ask you a ton of questions. That’s just because she cares though. And she’s nosey as hell.” 

Mina hummed in understanding. Jeongyeon could be that way sometimes—overbearing—but she meant well. It was just because she cared. 

“Just do your best to answer her. And don’t be afraid to be a little snappy with her, too. She expects that from me. Don’t be so…” her voice trailed off as she looked at Mina. “...timid.” 

“Timid?” Mina reiterated, frowning.

“You know, like you usually are,” Sana explained, looking a bit sheepish.

Huffing, Mina turned away. “I’m not as timid as you think,” she assured. “I’m just not super outgoing around strangers.” She said it pointedly, to emphasize that Sana was still practically a stranger to her.

Pressing her lips together, Sana looked at Mina knowingly. “Well, think of her as a friend from now on. And think of me as one, too.”

Mina didn’t do anything but sigh softly, so Sana kept talking. 

“Nayeon might ask you about Momo. She knows to expect me to be out late because of dinner on Wednesday nights. Just tell her you’re feeling sick and she should leave you alone. Oh also, don’t close your bedroom door before you go to bed or she will barge in unexpectedly, guaranteed.”

Mina nodded, mentally taking note of everything. Nayeon did seem like a handful, but if she was friends with Sana, she was obviously a lovable one.

“She has an 8AM tomorrow though so you won’t have to deal with her for long,” Sana assured. “And even though she might seem intimidating, she’s really a dork.”

“I look forward to meeting her,” Mina lied, and Sana laughed. “I might as well just head over there now, I guess.”

Sana explained to Mina which apartment was hers, showed her where her keycard and keys were in her purse, and texted Mina her computer password so she could continue doing research over there if she wanted. She gave Mina a quick rundown of what her room looked like, where things were, and the general layout of the apartment.

“And if something comes up, just text me,” Sana replied, finishing her monologue. 

“Same to you,” Mina said, although she couldn’t imagine Sana having much trouble here. “You can play my Switch if you want...just don’t overwrite any of my save files.” She gave Sana a serious look, not turning away until Sana nodded. 

The two girls could only hope they would wake up and this would all be over, but Mina had a bad feeling that wouldn’t be the case at all. 

They exited Mina’s room, walking out into the living room and kitchen area, where Jihyo was finishing up eating dinner as she typed furiously on her laptop keyboard.

“Headed out?” she asked, looking at Mina. Mina nodded, and Jihyo gave her a warm grin. “Well, it was good to see you again. I’ll see you around!” 

After Mina slipped Sana’s boots on at the door, she was surprised to suddenly feel arms around her. Sana had pulled her into a hug, unexpectedly. Letting out a small “oh,” it took Mina a moment before she returned the hug. It felt nice, and slightly reassuring. Mina was quite taller than Sana at the moment now, with the help of the boot heels. 

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Mina replied gently, as they each let go of one another. She took a breath and left the apartment, only turning to look back at the sound of the door closing behind her. The door closing felt symbolic in some way. For a small moment, the thought of never being able to switch back reared its ugly head in her mind, but she quickly shushed it so that she could remain sane for the time being.

Sana closed the apartment door, feeling slightly nervous but also...excited? She wasn’t sure exactly what she was going to do with herself for the time being, but she knew it was going to be hard for her to fall asleep tonight. She thought of Momo, oblivious to all this, hoping the girl was resting and keeping herself busy tonight. The itch to text the girl was already plaguing her. It would be hard to get used to not talking to Momo, even if only for a little bit, and the thought actually made her heart ache. She could only hope Mina would keep Momo happy for now. 

“I didn’t know Sana was in a class with you,” Jihyo replied, shaking Sana out of her thoughts. Mina’s roommate had finished eating and was getting ready to move her laptop back into her bedroom. 

“Mmhmm,” was all Sana said, hoping Jihyo wouldn’t press too much. Luckily the girl didn’t seem to be that suspicious. “Just an elective. What are you working on?”

“Just this research paper that’s driving me crazy. I hate APA.” 

Sana felt the girl’s pain, knowing all too well the frustration of having to write papers in formats outside of MLA. Intrigued, Sana walked into the kitchen and peeked over Jihyo’s shoulder at her computer screen. Jihyo seemed surprised by this, looking back at Sana curiously. Sana knew the topic of the paper, being a law student as well, but she kept her mouth shut and tried to act as though what she was reading went over her head.

“Doesn’t look fun at all. Well, I’m gonna go take a shower,” she announced, heading back into Mina’s room to grab what she needed. 

Jihyo watched her go with a raised eyebrow, as there was an unusual perk in her step. 

◆◆◆

Walking into Sana’s apartment, Mina tried hard to not feel as though she were breaking in. Sana’s roommate, who was waiting for her in the kitchen with a scrutinizing look on her face, didn’t make it any easier.

“Um, hello,” Mina offered, gulping at the glare the stranger was giving her.

Nayeon’s dark brown hair fell well past her shoulders, and she was dressed in pink pajamas while wearing bunny-slippers. She looked anything but terrifying, really, but Mina wouldn’t underestimate her.

“Momo texted me that you had to cancel your plans because you’re sick. She also told me she dropped you off here almost an hour ago.” There wasn’t even a hello. Nayeon was straight to the point, apparently.

Mina was not expecting to be interrogated after stepping one foot inside. She took a breath, trying to hold back her annoyance at having to deal with drama that wasn’t even her own. “I accidentally dropped something on my way to the studio,” she replied. “I fell on my way there earlier and dropped my...sunglasses. They fell out of my purse. Luckily they were still there when I went back to look for them.” To prove a point, Mina reached into Sana’s purse and pulled out a pair of sunglasses she had spotted in there earlier.

Nayeon didn’t look convinced, because walking back to the studio would definitely not take an hour, but her suspicious expression softened slightly. “I covered for you, don’t worry,” she assured. “As far as Momo knows, you’ve been here since she dropped you off.”

That was a relief. Mina didn’t want to cause any trouble for Sana, afterall. “Thanks for not saying anything,” she said, genuinely thankful. 

“That girl is sickeningly in love with you,” Nayeon continued. “She was practically begging _me_ to baby you tonight since you wouldn’t let her. _Make her hot chocolate but don’t forget the little marshmallows, you know how much she loves that_.” Nayeon made her best effort at imitating Momo, and Mina had to admit it was pretty spot on. She couldn’t help but bite back a grin. 

Mina remembered what Sana had said, to be snappy. She put on a smug expression, looking at Nayeon challengingly. “Well, are you gonna make me that hot chocolate or what?” 

Rolling her eyes, Nayeon rested her elbows on the counter and continued to glare at Mina. “Maybe if you were actually sick, I would have.”

“We both know that’s not true,” Mina countered, playfully. She was going out on a limb here, not really knowing what Sana and Nayeon’s dynamic was exactly, but it felt right.

Nayeon pouted, “I do baby you sometimes!” she insisted. “I guess if you really want some hot chocolate—”

“I’m kidding, Nayeon,” Mina insisted, with a small smile on her face. “I don’t want any.”

“Honestly, talking about it made me want some, anyway. I’ll make us both a cup, sound good?” she got up from her seat, walking toward a cabinet to pull out two mugs without waiting for an answer.

The thought of a nice warm cup of hot chocolate did sound pretty good. Mina bounced on her toes once before she went over to Sana’s room to take off the girl’s coat and set down her purse.

Sana’s room was slightly messier than Mina’s, but not by much. There was a slim, floor-length mirror leaning against the wall, and a large corkboard bulletin hung above her desk with various pictures of Sana and Momo pinned up to it. A few different outfit options were thrown onto the bed—clearly Sana was indecisive about what she wore today and it had taken her a few outfit changes before she was finally satisfied. 

Mina hung up Sana’s coat, and set down her purse on the bed. She took a closer look at the pictures hanging up, looking at how happy Momo and Sana appeared. They did look adorable together, and though Mina may have had a little, lingering crush on Momo, she was truly happy for them both. They deserved each other. 

“You gonna drink this or what?” Nayeon called from the kitchen. Mina immediately headed back out, greeted by the sound of a spoon clinking against the edges of a mug. 

One mug was blue, the other was green. Sure enough, each one had little rabbit-shaped marshmallows floating on top of the surface of the hot chocolate. “Thank you,” Mina said, putting her hands around the green mug and instantly feeling the heat spread through her body. She sighed with relief, breathing in the steam rising up from the drink. “This is just what I needed.”

“Rough day?” Nayeon asked, bringing her mug carefully over to the living room and setting it on the coffee table. She looked back at Mina, waiting for her to follow. As Nayeon sat on the couch, Mina walked over, mug in hand. 

“You could say that,” Mina replied. 

Nayeon blew on the top of the hot chocolate a bit before taking a cautious sip. She smacked her lips together, satisfied. “Issues with Momo?”

“No, no,” Mina quickly assured. “Things are fine.” At least, Mina had never seen any sort of indication that things weren’t alright between the couple. They always seemed perfectly happy when they were together. She had no reason to think things weren’t going well.

Sana’s best friend took another sip of her drink, not taking her eyes off of Mina while she did so. “Right, cause faking sick to get out of your dinner date is a really good indicator that things are going well,” she said, sarcastically.

Mina began to blow on her own hot chocolate, and allowed herself a small sip. She burned the tip of her tongue, wincing. “I really am not feeling well though,” she assured. “I...fell down some stairs on my way to meet Momo and hit my head kind of hard.”

“Of course you did,” Nayeon murmured. “That’s when you dropped your sunglasses.” 

Mina made a decision then—Nayeon wasn’t gonna drop the subject if she didn’t think of a better excuse. She had to be more creative. “When I slipped, this other girl tried to pull me up but I accidentally took her down with me. She actually found my sunglasses after I left and took them home with her. She let me know she had them so I met her to grab them, and we talked for a bit.”

“Aha! A generous mystery girl,” Nayeon replied. “Who was it? Someone I’d know?”

Mina shook her head adamantly. “No, you wouldn’t know her.” 

“What’s her name?” Wow, Nayeon really was nosey.

Taking another sip of her hot chocolate, Mina sighed. “Her name is Mina. She’s in the class Momo is a TA for.”

Nayeon hummed, satisfied. The hot chocolate was finally cool enough that it could slip down her throat easily. “I’ll let this one slide this time, Minatozaki. But I’m watching you.”

Mina just shook her head in faux annoyance. “Alright, whatever you say.” 

They chatted a bit more, changing the subject to Nayeon’s day. Mina learned the girl was majoring in education for children with disabilities. She also had a part time job at a restaurant in town and she had a lot to say about her afternoon shift. 

Finally, when Mina started yawning, she figured it’d be a good time to retire for the night. She put her mug in the sink, thanked Nayeon for making the hot chocolate, and said goodnight. “You should get to bed soon too, isn’t your 8AM tomorrow?” Mina asked, before she closed Sana’s bedroom door. She felt slightly cheeky for remembering the detail Sana had mentioned to her earlier.

“God, don’t remind me,” Nayeon groaned. “Goodnight!”

Mina got changed into something warm for bed. She hesitated to use Sana’s toothbrush but told herself that technically her germs were Sana’s germs now anyway. She bit the bullet and brushed her teeth, avoiding eye contact with the mirror completely.

As she washed her face, she finally looked at her reflection. She was slowly getting used to it, but it was still a strange feeling. Hopefully she’d be back to normal tomorrow. She’d wake up in her own bed, and forget this whole night as if it were all a crazy dream. She held onto that hope as she shut off Sana’s bedroom lights and tucked herself into the twin-sized bed. 

Checking Sana’s phone for the first time since she talked to Nayeon, Mina noticed she had received a few new messages. One was from Momo, asking how she was doing. Mina quickly replied to let her know that she was okay, and that Nayeon had even made her hot chocolate. With a dopey grin on her face, she added a heart emoji to the end of the message. She figured Sana would probably do something like that, judging by the past few messages in the conversation thread that Mina happened to see. 

Sana had also sent her a text, hoping all went well with Nayeon and wishing Mina a good night.

Mina set an alarm for 9AM, plugged in Sana’s phone for the night, and laid her head down on one of Sana’s pillows...hoping that sleep would come soon. 

She slipped into a light sleep, after what felt like hours staring into the darkness.

Mina dreamt of Momo, looking at her with fondness like she did today. The way Momo normally looked at Sana. But there was no body switching hijinks, just Mina as she was. And Momo’s tender touch. It was almost as if Mina could feel it now. A slight graze down her hip. Fingertips brushing along her shoulder. Moving hair off of her neck so Momo could delicately place her lips upon it. Each kiss was in a different spot, as if to cover every exposed inch of skin. 

The lips felt so real. It was as though she could really feel warm breath on her neck, and a presence behind her, indenting the mattress. It was almost...too real. 

Mina opened her eyes slowly, suddenly struck with a sickening panic. There was someone beside her on the bed, really kissing her neck. This was not a dream. Holding her breath for a moment, she debated if she should scream and run away, or just run away quietly and keep the element of surprise. Was there any sort of weapon she could grab in the room if things went south?

She counted to three, letting the mystery person kiss her neck once more before she sprang into action, screaming and leaping for the door. The room was nearly pitch black save for a small nightlight, so she accidentally tripped on Sana’s desk chair in the process and swore under her breath. 

“Sana?” the person laying on the bed called, and Mina froze. 

She let herself sink onto the carpet, holding back crazed and relieved laughter. “Momo? What the hell!” she cried, turning around to look in the direction of the bed. 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you,” she cooed, getting off the bed and sliding down beside Mina, who was curled up on the floor. “You’ve never gotten scared before.”

So this was something that happened _before_? Momo sneaking into Sana’s bed without warning? How did she even get in here?

“Jesus,” Mina muttered. Her heart was still racing, and she was wired from the burst of adrenaline. “Sorry, you just really took me off guard.”

She’d have to yell at Sana first thing tomorrow morning for not giving her a warning about this, whether they switched back or not.

“I know you’re sick, but that doesn’t matter to me,” Momo assured. “And when you texted me you let Nayeon take care of you but you didn’t let me, I got jealous. You normally like it when I surprise you, too…”

Sana’s bedroom door swung open, starling Mina and Momo both. “What the hell is going on?” Nayeon cried, standing in the doorway with a kitchen knife in hand. “Oh, Momo,” she said, sounding completely unsurprised to see the girl on the floor beside Mina. This really must’ve been a regular occurance. 

“I’m sorry,” Mina mumbled. “I just...got scared.”

“It’s okay,” Momo assured, cupping Mina’s cheeks in her hands. “I shouldn’t have snuck in tonight.”

“I really thought you were being murdered,” Nayeon replied, sighing with relief. “Well, if you’ll excuse me. I’m going back to bed. I have to wake up in four hours.” The girl shuffled away after swinging the door shut behind her.

“Let’s get you back into bed,” Momo said, gently lifting Mina up and guiding her back toward the small mattress. Mina let Momo hold her. She was too tired to shy away at this point. Momo covered her up and crawled in beside her so that their bodies were touching. The bed was so small that it didn’t really allow either of them much personal space at all. “Is it okay if I stay, or do you want me to go?”

Mina swallowed, staring up at the ceiling as she tried to ignore the fact that she was laying in bed with Momo. “You should stay,” Mina whispered. 

In her mind, she told herself it was for Sana’s sake that she let Momo stay. Making Momo leave now would surely only put a strain on Sana and Momo’s relationship, wouldn’t it? Mina didn’t want that. 

Nevermind how soft Momo’s skin felt against hers. Nevermind that Mina’s neck still burned in every spot Momo had so much as grazed her lips upon. Nevermind that Mina had daydreamed about this moment countless times before and now it was finally a reality.

This was for Sana.


	2. flutter

Mina awoke to the sound of an alarm, blaring softly to her right. She jumped to turn it off, only realizing once she hit snooze that the room she was in was not her own. Sure enough, the phone in her hand was Sana’s, and Momo was lying to her left. A bit of sunlight spilled through the white curtains, lighting up the room in a hazy yellow hue. 

So they hadn’t switched back, after all.

A wave of nausea washed over her as she thought about having to live another day in a different body. But at least Momo was there, to make it more bearable. Momo, who was gently tugging on Mina’s shirt, wordlessly asking her to lay back down for a little while longer. Mina took a breath and slowly let herself lean back into the older girl’s embrace. All the while, in the back of her mind, she told herself to not get too used to this. 

This love wasn’t meant for her.

Momo, it turns out, was not a morning person. Every time Mina attempted to get up, the girl would whine something incoherent and pull her back down, snuggling into her chest and wrapping her legs around Mina. Luckily, Mina knew Sana didn’t have morning classes today, but she knew she needed to at least make herself presentable. She’d have to take a shower, which she was dreading, and then she needed to yell at Sana for not giving her at least a small warning that Momo had a tendency of sneaking in at night. 

Mina managed to twist around to grab Sana’s phone again, quickly sending a good morning text to the girl and asking if she was on her way to Mina’s first class of the day, which started at 10AM. Sana responded with a selfie, showing the interior of the Medical Hall on campus in the background. It was a relief Sana had managed to find the right building. 

Biting her lip, Mina thought to herself, bitterly, that this selfie managed to look just as good, if not _better_ than all of the ones she had taken recently. She kept a mental note of the angle Sana used for when she did eventually get her body back. 

Mina also texted Sana that she wanted to talk to her after she got out of class. Here, Mina could yell at Sana in person and not over text, and they could make a better game plan as to how they’d be getting schoolwork done in this state. It was settled. Sana and her would meet inside the Medical Hall in about an hour and a half. 

“I have to get up,” she murmured quietly to Momo. If it was up to her, she wouldn’t mind spending all day lying in bed beside the girl, but Sana’s life needed to go on as usual. Momo groaned but eventually loosened her grip on Mina, allowing her to slip away for good. 

“Are we still on for lunch today?” Momo asked, finally sitting up in bed and looking at Mina, who began to rummage through Sana’s clothes to find something to wear. 

There was a small moment of hesitation before Mina nodded. “What time and where?”

Rubbing the sleepiness out of her eyes, Momo looked at Mina a bit oddly before she stretched her arms and made noises of contentment. “Just the usual.”

So Mina would have to ask Sana about that as well, because she had no idea what _the usual_ implied. “Alright, well I’m going to go take a shower then. I have something to take care of before lunch.” 

“So mysterious,” Momo said, in a voice still laced with drowsiness. “Want me to join you?” The left corner of her smile jerked up, turning it into a smirk. Mina thought Momo had absolutely no business giving her that look when she had been a sleepy mess only a minute ago. 

Turning away so Momo couldn’t see the blush forming on her face, Mina shook her head adamantly. “I have to rush so—let’s save that for another day.” 

“Alright,” Momo sang, sounding teasingly disappointed. She stood up and stretched again. “I have some homework to do before lunch too, so I should get going.” She began to walk toward the door but paused, looking back at Mina, who was taking an awfully long time to pick out an outfit. “I’m sorry about last night,” Momo continued. “It wasn’t a good night for that, but I missed you.”

“I missed you, too.” The words came out almost automatically. Mina clamped her mouth shut before she said more, not sure if she could even trust herself at the moment. 

Momo slipped on a sweatshirt, which she had left on Sana’s desk, before taking another step toward the bedroom door. She stopped before she left the room though, and looked back at Mina expectantly. “I’ll see you soon,” she said.

She was waiting for something. _Anything_. Sana never let her go without a kiss, or at least a reassuring squeeze of her hand. Momo would never admit it, but she loved that—how clingy Sana could be.

Mina was completely oblivious to Momo’s puppy eyes, however, finally figuring out the last of what she was gonna wear. Perhaps if her full attention was on Momo, she would’ve gotten the courage to give Momo a goodbye kiss. Instead, she looked up only to catch Momo beginning to shuffle out the door, disappointed. “See you,” she called, standing in silence to hear the sound of the apartment door opening and closing shut.

  
  
◆◆◆  
  
  


Sana and Mina met at the quiet end of the Medical Hall, where no one really ventured unless walking into a class. Sana, who had been sitting at a bench with her legs crossed, looked up at the sound of shoes squeaking against the floor. She smiled brightly when she saw it was Mina.

While Mina had opted for jeans and a simple button up, Sana had dressed up a bit more fancily, even wearing a skirt. Mina raised an eyebrow, noting the outfit choice, but said nothing. 

“Class went well! I took notes for you as requested,” Sana said, opening up Mina’s Macbook and showing her a word document with the notes she’d typed. They were surprisingly thorough. “There were some words I didn’t recognize...actually a lot went over my head...so I just did my best to google and sound things out. I hope that’s okay?” 

Impressed, Mina thanked the girl for her hard work. She had planned on yelling at Sana immediately about the Momo incident last night, but now she felt slightly bad. She bit her tongue and let the anger fizzle out a bit.

“So how did your night go?” Sana asked, eager to hear. 

Sitting down beside Sana, Mina took one long breath, thinking about what details to tell the other girl. A bit closer to her, Mina could now see Sana had even used more makeup than Mina usually wore. She was sporting a nice, pink shade of lipstick. Mina’s favorite, actually. “It was...nice. Nayeon made me hot chocolate, actually, and we talked for a bit.”

Sana’s eyes lit up. “Did she add marshmallows, too?” Mina nodded, and Sana hummed in delight. “Those are my favorite!” She was pouting now, looking disappointed she wasn’t there for it herself.

Now was the time to bring up Momo. “Oh, and Momo paid me a visit. In the middle of the night. Without warning. In your _bed_.” Mina’s voice lowered in volume until it was practically a hiss. 

Pressing her lips together, Sana raised both eyebrows. “Oops...I forgot to warn you about that…”

“Out of all the things to be warned about, that seems like a pretty important thing to mention!” Mina replied, in a scolding manner. 

“I’m sorry, honestly!” Sana said, apologetically. “I didn’t think she’d do that when she thought I was sick and needed rest.” 

Honestly, the news of Momo sneaking in was genuinely surprising to Sana. Not that she didn’t do it often, but it seemed like a weird night for it. Normally, whenever Sana found herself craving Momo’s presence, the girl would end up in her bed, but the days when she didn’t want Momo there, her girlfriend stayed away, as if Momo could read her mind. Momo always knew when she was needed most, and Sana liked to think she was capable of the same. 

“Momo mentioned she was jealous that Nayeon made me hot chocolate,” was all Mina offered. She cleared her throat and tried to change the subject. “How did she even get in, anyway?”

“She has an extra keycard and apartment key,” Sana explained. Mina looked at her with confusion, so Sana continued. “We have a friend that does work-study in Residential and was able to get us an extra key card for the dorms. Momo and I made a copy of my apartment key, and I have a key for her apartment as well.” 

Sana said it off-handedly, as if it weren’t a big deal, but Mina never had a key for Jeongyeon’s apartment when they had dated. The thought was surprising, cause never once had the thought of getting a spare key made for Jeongyeon crossed Mina’s mind. Was that telling of her relationship with Jeongyeon, or more telling of Sana’s relationship with Momo? Mina would wonder about it, later. 

Despite turning over Sana’s explanation in her head, Mina’s brow was still furrowed. “Did she scare you?” Sana asked, noting Mina’s persistent scowl. 

Sighing, Mina nodded. “Well, of course! How would you expect me to react to some stranger in the dark lying next to me? I ran into your desk chair trying to get away!” 

Sana burst into laughter at the thought of Mina tripping over the chair, and a very groggy Momo more confused at the sight than anything. 

“Don’t laugh, technically it was _you_ who tripped,” Mina huffed. 

After quieting down, Sana grinned. “And how was she? What did you guys...do?” Her voice lowered in volume. She was curious, but not disapproving.

This topic was exactly what Mina was hoping to avoid. Sana didn’t know about her crush on Momo yet, and Mina could only hope her flusteredness didn’t expose her secret. The guilt twisted her stomach immediately. “We just...cuddled,” Mina said. It was true, mostly. Sana didn’t need to know about the endless neck kisses. Technically, Mina wasn’t fully awake for those, either. Nor had she participated in giving them herself. 

Sana nodded, seemingly satisfied with that answer. Her grin dropped though, and she looked away, thinking about something unknown to Mina. “You haven’t made any breakthroughs on your research, have you?” she asked, finally. 

Honestly, Mina really hadn’t had much time to look into things. She was preoccupied talking to Nayeon last night, and then Momo this morning. “No, I’ll take some time after lunch to go to the library and look at some case studies. Speaking of lunch, Momo mentioned “the usual” today? What does that mean?”

“You know that little restaurant right off of campus?” Mina nodded, so Sana continued. “We meet up outside of my apartment and walk there together at 1. Momo and I always order the same thing, so she’ll know what to get.”

Mina glanced down at Sana’s purse in her lap, thinking about how lunch involved money. Money that wasn’t hers. 

“It’s okay for you to spend my money!” Sana assured, noticing Mina’s concern. “My wallet’s right in there. I mean, I’d be spending it anyway. And speaking of money, how do you feel about me using some of yours today for lunch?”

“Huh?” Mina asked. Normally she just went home and made lunch on Thursdays after class, then she’d get some work done while waiting for her next class.

“I invited Jeongyeon out for lunch,” Sana announced, looking proud. 

Mina’s eyes widened a bit. “You...what?” 

Sana shrugged, as if it weren’t a big deal at all. “She was texting me last night and a bit this morning, and now I’m curious to meet her. Besides, since you’re having lunch with Momo, I can’t let you have all the fun.”

Knowing just how embarrassing Jeongyeon could be, Mina bit her lip, praying that nothing happened during their time together. “Oh, okay. That’s fine,” she replied, trying to remain casual about the situation. She could only hope Jeongyeon would be on her best behavior, and Sana would be too. “Just make sure you’re back in time for my next class.”

Tossing some hair over her shoulder, Sana gave Mina a reassuring smile. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world.” 

The two girls laid out a game plan for getting their class assignments done while they were still switched, which involved teaching Sana to use Google Docs so that she could update her papers even using Mina’s laptop. Once that was done, the two girls packed up their things and headed off.

Mina walked back with Sana all the way to the dorms before the two had to go their separate ways. “Behave yourself,” Mina said, watching Sana begin to walk toward her apartment. 

“I could say the same to you!” Sana replied, giving Mina a non-successful, two-eyed wink. Perhaps she had mastered winking in her own body, but Mina was hopeless at it, meaning she was too now. Sana waved and walked away, and Mina watched her go, feeling guilt eat away at her again.

She stood outside a few minutes before she heard boots clicking against the pavement. Sure enough, there was Momo, sporting an oversized hoodie and a big, red scarf wrapped around her neck. Mina’s heart began to race at the sight of the girl. After all, she was not used to seeing Momo more than two nights a week for class. Seeing her this morning and now again for lunch felt a bit overwhelming. 

“You ready?” Momo asked, wordlessly reaching for Mina’s hand and taking it in her own. Mina’s hand was slightly chilly, so Momo began to rub it with her thumb.

Mina nodded, and let the girl pull her along toward the restaurant. She could only hope Momo wouldn’t ask about something Mina didn’t know about and make the meal difficult and awkward. 

“Were you able to get that thing done that you had to do?” Momo prodded, clearly hoping Mina would give her more details.

“Just had to talk to my professor about an assignment,” Mina explained, breezily. “But yeah, I got the clarification I was looking for.”

“Good.” There was a stuffy silence between them now. Mina didn’t mind, however. Momo’s hand felt warm in her own, and she swung their hands happily with every step they took. 

For a moment, she let her noisy thoughts be drowned out by the pleasantness of the walk. She could pretend that this was just a normal day, and she was going out to lunch with her girlfriend. Only, it wasn’t her girlfriend at all, and this experience—this day, even—didn’t belong to her.  
  
  


◆◆◆

  
  
Jeongyeon swung her car around to the parking lot outside of Mina’s dorm. Sana, realizing as she stood waiting for the girl, that she had no idea what Jeongyeon’s car actually looked like, sighed with relief as she could clearly see Jeongyeon through the car’s windshield. 

Jeongyeon’s car had certainly seen better days, with a fading red paint job. When Sana opened up the passenger side door, the hinges creaked. 

Though she didn’t know Jeongyeon at all, Sana recognized the girl from Mina’s instagram posts immediately. “Hello,” Sana chirped, smiling at Mina’s friend. Jeongyeon was very pretty in person, sporting black, shoulder length hair and large, round glasses. A black leather jacket complimented her tall and lean frame. 

“Hey,” Jeongyeon grunted, as she strained her neck to look behind her to reverse the car. Once they were out of the parking lot, the girl smiled while keeping her eyes on the road. “It’s been awhile since we’ve gone off campus with how busy we’ve both been, but I’m glad you suggested it.” 

Sana instantly decided she liked Jeongyeon’s smile. It was a lazy one, but lovely nonetheless. “Well, I know this really great place on the other side of town. It’s been awhile since I’ve been there.” Her and Momo had tried just about every restaurant in their small college town. It was like going on little adventures with no real risk other than having to eat subpar food on occasion. 

Any sense of awkwardness that lingered when Sana first got in the car quickly disappeared as Jeongyeon grew more chatty. Jeongyeon brought up their texting conversation from last night, which had involved lots of dog videos. Jeongyeon had sent her videos of her two family dogs, explaining that her sister was visiting her parents currently and bragging to her about getting to spend time with the dogs while Jeongyeon was still stuck at school.

It was clear to Sana how much Jeongyeon adored not only her family pets, but her parents and sister as well. Sana was more than happy to gush over Jeongyeon’s dogs, having missed out on growing up with a pet of her own. Besides, Sana knew, based on Mina’s lockscreen and the few pictures of the same dog displayed in Mina’s room, that the girl clearly loved dogs herself. Sana could imagine Jeongyeon and Mina sending each other cute dog videos often—something to bond over.

The girls managed to find street parking in front of the restaurant, which was a cute cafe with a variety of foods. Jeongyeon seemed content with the place, luckily, easily finding something on the menu and ordering a cup of coffee as well. After their orders were ready, Sana and Jeongyeon sat down with their warm food, beginning to chow down. 

Sana couldn’t help but laugh at how quickly Jeongyeon dug in. Whining, Jeongyeon suddenly became self-conscious as Sana laughed at her. “I didn’t eat breakfast, okay?” she exclaimed, though that didn’t make Sana giggle any less. It was clear how much Jeongyeon loved the sound of Sana’s laughter, or rather, Mina’s laughter, because despite being teased, she broke out into a large grin. 

Mumbling a bit more under her breath about being invited out for lunch only to be made fun of, Jeongyeon continued to eat, purposefully being even more obnoxious than before.

The two continued to chat. Sana tried to keep the focus on Jeongyeon’s life so she didn’t get any questions she didn’t know how to answer. It was surprisingly hard, because Jeongyeon seemed quite eager to hear how Mina’s life was going, as well as her opinion on things. Doing the best she could, Sana gave her best guess at any questions that were flung her way.

“You’re in a very cheerful mood,” Jeongyeon observed, after she took a break from eating to start drinking her coffee, which was finally cool enough to sip on. It was true, something about the pleasantness of the conversation and the excitement of talking to someone new made Sana giddy.

Sana nodded. It was nice to be out and about, getting her mind off of Momo and the fact that she wasn’t with her now. If she hadn’t been doing anything at all, it would be much easier for her to slip into a pit of overdramatic despair. “This is nice. Thanks for taking me out.”

An odd look washed over Jeongyeon’s features a moment before she put on another lazy smile. It was so brief, but not brief enough for Sana _not_ to notice it. “It’s nice to not have Jihyo along,” Jeongyeon teased. “She’d be breaking my eardrums right about now.”

Sana knew she was referring to how loud Jihyo could talk sometimes. She giggled at that, imagining Jihyo and Jeongyeon going at it loudly in the restaurant with Mina just laughing along at them both. From what Sana could gather, Mina and her two friends normally did everything together as a group. It had been like her, Momo and Nayeon before she had asked Momo out over a year ago. 

“Speaking of Jihyo,” Jeongyeon muttered, with her mouth still slightly full from the food currently in it, “she told me you’re working with Sana on a project for class?” 

Sana was surprised Jeongyeon knew of her, and even more surprised Jihyo would tell Jeongyeon about it. At Mina’s apartment, Jihyo had seemed surprised briefly to see Sana, but not completely unphased. “Yeah, we got paired up for a project together, but it’s due tomorrow and we should be finishing it up soon.”

“Uh-huh,” Jeongyeon replied, looking suspicious. 

“What?” Sana asked. “You don’t believe me?”

Shaking her head, Jeongyeon leaned back against her chair and crossed her arms. “If you were in a class with Sana, I would know by now,” she said. “And bringing her to your apartment, too…” her voice trailed off. Clearly Jeongyeon was taken aback by hearing that Mina had brought Sana over. 

The statement immediately raised a million questions in Sana’s mind. What did Jeongyeon mean by she would _know_ if Sana and Mina were in a class together by now? It’s not like Sana really knew Mina well before all this, so why did Jeongyeon think her being in a class with Mina was an important detail? Sana cocked her head in confusion, opening her mouth and trying to search for the right response. Asking questions for clarification might dig her into an even deeper hole. 

“Okay, you’re right,” she admitted, finally. “Sana asked me to help plan a surprise for Momo’s birthday. The entire dance class is helping out, actually.” The lie tasted bitter on her tongue but she swallowed it down regardless. 

Now it was Jeongyeon’s turn to look surprised. Her spoon, which was raised halfway to her mouth, froze in place for a moment. “Wow.” She raised her eyebrows before continuing to move her spoon upward, slurping her soup broth semi-loudly. 

“Wow?” Sana whined, annoyed she had no idea what was going on. Suddenly she had an urge to figure out all of Mina’s little secrets. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing, nothing,” Jeongyeon assured, but there was a playful smile on her lips. “I’m sure you were happy to help.” She looked at Sana pointedly, waiting for her to get whatever she was insinuating. 

Sana blinked a few times. Things were beginning to click together for her. Clearly, Sana was significant enough to Jihyo and Jeongyeon for them _both_ to make a semi big deal about Mina being seen with her. The teasing, the knowing looks…

Oh my god. Sana nearly choked on her food, coughing loudly a few times as the revelation hit her. Was it possible...that Mina had a _crush_ on her? Was that why Mina had been acting so uncomfortable this whole time? 

Jeongyeon was beginning to look at her with concern due to her silence, so Sana quickly cleared her throat. “I am, yeah,” Sana replied, innocently. “It’s going to be a lot of fun.”

Great, now Sana was actually going to have to plan something for Momo’s birthday involving the entire dance class, unless she wanted Jeongyeon to think Mina was a liar. And, she’d have to address the elephant in the room of Mina having a crush on her. Should she say anything to the girl? Or just ignore it, for both their sakes, at least until they switched back?

“Just don’t spread yourself too thin, okay?” Jeongyeon asked, gently. She was still looking at Sana with a bit of concern behind her eyes. Clearly, she didn’t want Mina being taken advantage of, or perhaps getting too deep into a hopeless crush. 

Quickly working to change the subject, Sana asked how Jeongyeon’s classes were going. The two chatted about obnoxious classmates, and lazy professors. Despite the uncomfortable revelation of Mina’s crush, it was pretty amazing how at ease Sana felt with Jeongyeon already, barely knowing her. The girl was so relaxed and go-with-the-flow, it was a nice change of pace from hanging out with Nayeon, who was almost the total opposite. 

As Jeongyeon laughed at something she said with an open mouth, Sana leaned forward, resting her head on her elbow, and began to understand why Mina would’ve dated this girl in the first place. She was cute. It made Sana all the more curious why things between the girls had fizzled out. Perhaps she’d ask Mina about it, later. 

Sana could be slightly oblivious at times, but she did consider herself to be good at reading people. Based on Jeongyeon’s thoughtful glances and fond eyes, she had a sneaking suspicion that the girl was still very much in love with Mina. She wondered if Mina had any idea, or if she was totally unaware. 

  
  
◆◆◆  
  
  


Lunch with Momo was just as awkward as Mina was expecting. Though luckily, a lot of it was just eating in a comfortable silence, there were times when Mina tripped over her words, unsure of what she should respond with. She tried to think like Sana, but it only became apparent the longer this switch lasted, that she wasn’t even sure who Sana was at all. 

Momo was acting very casually, and jousted at Mina whenever she had the chance, but Mina could tell the girl was analyzing her every movement, her every laugh—as if debating in her head whether or not she should be concerned. Mina tried to take it in stride, trying to smile extra dazzlingly and be clever in the way she answered things. She was beginning to learn that Momo pouted a lot in public, and then would look to Mina as if waiting for the other girl to baby her until she was satisfied. 

Sometimes, Momo was almost cold, but that behavior completely melted away as soon as the two of them were alone again.

Mina remembered what Sana had said yesterday—she was very affectionate in public. Having witnessed it multiple times before, Mina knew Sana wasn’t lying. Perhaps she should do something, just to try to ease any worry or suspicion Momo had toward her. 

As they were walking back to campus, Mina took a long, steadying breath, and quickly pressed a kiss on Momo’s cheek before the small amount of courage she had built up left her. It was so fast Momo barely felt it, but she smiled nonetheless. 

For Momo, this was nothing. A sensation she’d felt hundreds of times before. A daily act for Sana. But Mina’s lips were on fire. 

Momo took the kiss as a cue to go further. She had anxiously been awaiting the return of _this_ Sana. The affectionate one who smothered Momo in kisses daily, despite her protests. Not the suddenly distant, strangely unsure Sana that Momo had spent time with for most of the day today.

She pulled Mina off the path they were walking on, out of the way of any shuffling students, to a spot behind a few large trees. It was barely enough cover to hide them away from the rest of the world, but it was enough. Momo looked at Mina with eager eyes, placing her hands on Mina’s waist and pulling her close. As the distance between them lessened, a sound, suspiciously like a whine, escaped Momo’s mouth. 

Unable to stand it any longer, Mina took Momo’s chin in her hand and pressed their lips together. 

It was soft at first, but there was a growing hunger behind it that fueled it to be more. For a moment, Mina got lost in the feeling of Momo pressed against her. The girl’s skin was hot to the touch. Their breath both became heavy and desperate as the kiss grew more and more heated. Mina’s hands found her way to Momo’s lower back, pressing Momo even more tightly against her. Momo intertwined her fingers through Mina’s hair. 

Sana’s hair. 

_Sana’s girlfriend._

The spell was broken just like that, and Mina realized the first kiss she shared with Momo wasn’t even a victory—but an agonizing defeat. 

Momo tasted like loss and strawberries. 

After the kiss, Momo had expected Sana’s usual playfulness, but the person she believed to be her girlfriend was acting strangely stoic—almost sad. Momo’s head was spinning with questions, worrying if she’d done something wrong to upset her. But even after asking, Mina had insisted she was fine, giving Momo an assuring smile. Maybe if Momo didn’t know Sana so well, she would’ve believed her lie. Momo didn’t press though, hoping whatever it was would pass.

After Mina and Momo had made it back to campus, the two parted ways as Momo headed to class, and Mina went back to Sana’s apartment to grab some things before heading to the library. The guilt of the kiss weighed heavier on Mina with each step she took. How was she supposed to face Sana after this? 

  
  
◆◆◆  
  
  


The library was buzzing with people, but Mina knew the third floor was the place to go to find silence. She headed up there after grabbing a few medical journals on the second floor. Finding an empty table to herself, she sat down and began to flip through the pages. Her eyes scanned desperately for any studies or reported cases of body switching, even transformation in general. 

She had messaged Sana about meeting up after Mina’s second class of the day, that way she’d brief Sana on what she missed. Even though she was dreading seeing Sana, she was also dying to know how her lunch went with Jeongyeon. As she flipped through each textbook and journal, Mina grew more and more desperate to find anything helpful to their situation with each passing minute.

The feeling of Momo’s lips being pressed against hers was seared into her brain, and when she closed her eyes she saw Momo’s flushed, deep red cheeks as if the sight was imprinted on her closed eyelids. She needed to get her mind off the way it had felt like it was just for her. Busying herself in research would be the best way to do it. 

“What are you doing here on the third floor?” a voice called—loud enough to make Mina jolt in surprise. “With a...medical journal?”

It was Nayeon, wearing an oversized hoodie with her hair tied back. She was giving Mina a confused pout. 

Mina closed the journal she was looking at immediately. “Uh...research for a medical case. And this floor is the quietest, so I like to come here,” she said, hoping the girl would drop the subject.

Nayeon raised an eyebrow. She knew Sana always populated the first floor when studying here, preferring the light chatter as background noise to the silence of the floors above it. In fact, that’s why Nayeon almost never ran into her roommate at the library. Nayeon preferred working in dead silence, unlike her roommate. Maybe this homework was so important that Sana made an exception today?

Setting her stuff down on the table Mina was using without so much as a hello, Nayeon plopped down on the seat across from her friend. “So suddenly you wanna be a doctor now? I guess being the world’s best up-and-coming defense attorney wasn’t enough.”

Mina rolled her eyes, setting the book she was currently looking at down on her lap so Nayeon couldn’t look at it more closely. “And what brings you here?”

Nayeon unzipped her backpack, pulling out some notebooks and her laptop. “I needed to get out of the apartment. I couldn’t focus at home.”

“You couldn’t focus, so you had to come distract me and prevent me from focusing too, I see,” Mina retorted, but there was a playful smirk on her lips. 

Leaning on the table, Nayeon propped her head up in her hands. “Distracting you is one of my favorite pastimes. You know it’s my goal to make you fail every single class so you fall behind a semester and are stuck with me a little longer.” 

Nayeon was staying at their current college to finish up getting her master’s degree in special education, but Sana would be moving on to law school after this school year was over. Mina wasn’t aware of this fact, but based on Nayeon’s teasing, she could guess the reality was somewhere along those lines. 

“And how’s that going for you?” Mina asked.

“Terribly, because you’re too damn smart!” Nayeon was suddenly leaning across the table, reaching to pinch one of Mina’s cheeks.

Mina flinched back, looking at Nayeon with surprised eyes. She swatted Nayeon’s hand away like lightning and sputtered a moderately loud “hey!”

It was odd. Normally Sana would lean into Nayeon’s touch cause she loved to be praised, but as far as Nayeon could tell, her best friend was not having it today. However, Nayeon would gladly accept a challenge. In fact, she welcomed it. 

Her hand remained in the air, not giving up so easily. “Don’t fight it!” she exclaimed. Nayeon kept reaching for Mina, who was now self conscious the entire library was looking at them. Figuring that by putting up more of a fuss, they would probably draw more attention, Mina finally gave up and let Nayeon pinch her cheek. Nayeon cooed in satisfaction and leaned back in her chair, giving the girl across from her a grin. 

“We’re in a _library_ ,” Mina muttered, looking around to make sure no one was openly staring at them. 

“And?” Nayeon asked, raising her eyebrows. “Are you getting...flustered?” If anything, normally Sana was the one making Nayeon flustered with her god-tier level affection. This was different. But, Nayeon thought to herself, not different in a bad way. She liked seeing her best friend squirm with embarrassment. 

Mina quickly shook her head, suddenly playing with the cuffs of her sleeves. She didn’t like how Nayeon was making her so nervous. It crossed her mind that Sana probably never acted this way around her best friend, but Mina couldn’t help it. Nayeon was _pretty_ , looking gorgeous even in a simple hoodie and jeans. “Of course not,” Mina mumbled. But her reddening face was betraying her. “Now will you let me get back to my work?”

“Fine, fine. I got things to do too,” Nayeon said, beginning to flip through a textbook. A silence settled over the table and Mina hesitantly set her book back on the table, hoping Nayeon didn’t try to take a closer look at it. 

She continued to flick through the pages, looking for any sort of breakthrough. Her eyes scanned each page like lightning. After a few page flips, she could feel eyes burning into her, making the hair on the back of her neck stand up. Sure enough, when she lifted her head, she caught Nayeon staring at her. Caught in the act, Nayeon tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and immediately glanced down at her laptop screen without a word. 

Mina blinked, staring at Sana’s friend a beat longer before she looked back down at the pages in front of her. Brow furrowed in concentration, she leaned closer and closer to the pages, willing them with her mind to contain useful information. Sure enough, a few minutes later, Mina felt eyes on her again. Her eyes trailed upward, seeing Nayeon staring back at her. The girl let out a breathy laugh, shyly looking away again. “Sorry,” she mumbled. “It’s just...can you get any closer to that book?” 

Realizing just how close her face was to the pages, Mina immediately corrected her posture and sat up straight. She had a bad habit of leaning forward like that, as it helped her concentrate. “Bad habit,” she sheepishly explained.

Nayeon had never seen Sana do that before. First she ran into the girl on the third floor of the library, and now this. It seemed she was still learning things about her best friend, even though they’d known each other for almost four years now. It was intriguing. 

So far, Mina had no such luck finding any information of value regarding her and Sana’s situation. There were out of body experiences, sure, but nothing about being in someone else’s. It was beginning to feel hopeless, but Mina wouldn’t give up. They couldn’t be stuck like this _forever_. 

She decided she would try more mythical and supernatural sources. Mina didn’t really believe in anything like that—actually, that stuff kind of terrified her—but at the point, she’d give anything a chance. 

“You look distraught,” Nayeon observed. Mina glanced up to see the girl was staring at her yet again. Was this something Nayeon did to Sana often?

Playing it off, Mina shook her head. “No, it’s fine. I just need to look for a few more books.” She stood up, textbooks in hand, ready to return the few she had and look for the section that might have something else that would help her. “Will you watch my stuff for me? I’ll be right back.”

Nayeon nodded, and watched her friend walk off. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but there was definitely something different about her. 

  
  
◆◆◆  
  
  


Mina met Sana outside of the Law School building on campus. Looking a bit glum, Sana knew instantly that Mina was unsuccessful in figuring out anything else about their situation. 

“Hey, you,” Sana said, striding forward to quickly flatten down Mina’s little flyaways with her hands. To do so, she had to lift up on her tip-toes, slightly. “Did you have fun at lunch?”

Sana had decided she would only bring up Mina’s crush when the right opportunity presented itself. After all, she didn’t wanna embarrass the poor girl too much. Sana was flattered, especially considering her and Mina barely ever talked before all this, but she’d have to let the girl down easy. For now, she’d play it off like she had no idea. 

Mina pressed her lips together at Sana’s question and nodded. “Sure, yeah it was nice. Momo’s really cool. How was lunch with Jeongyeon?” Mina hoped Sana couldn’t so easily sense the shame hidden behind her smile. 

“It was good!” There was a smile on Sana’s face as well, also hiding something behind it. “She seems like a good friend.”

Mina nodded fiercely. “She always takes care of me, even after everything.”

Running her tongue along her teeth, Sana was silent for a moment before she gently took Mina’s wrist and pulled her to a bench farther away from students coming and going from the building. “Do you mind if I ask you something kind of personal?” Though she asked a question, she didn’t bother waiting for Mina’s response. “Why did you break up with Jeongyeon?” 

Mina seemed taken off guard by the question. She instantly made herself smaller, turning away from Sana’s gaze. It was something she hadn’t talked about in awhile, nor even let herself think about recently. As Jihyo had told her for the first few months after the breakup, dwelling over the past wouldn’t do her any favors. She could only focus on the present and what she could do to make things up to Jeongyeon moving forward. 

“I realized I would only ever see her as a friend. I couldn’t give her the romantic love she deserved.” Mina decided to be honest. She felt like she owed Sana that much, as if it made up for her hiding the fact that she had kissed Momo earlier today. 

Sana nodded, as if expecting that was the case. “You stayed with her longer than you should’ve, didn’t you? I did the same to an ex...” It was easy to guess that was the case. Jeongyeon had that sad look about her at lunch sometimes, as if she was caught up in the daydream of a reality where Mina was still hers.

Swallowing, Mina closed her eyes, stinging from the fact that Sana was able to see right through her so easily. Had one lunch with Jeongyeon somehow been that enlightening? A horrific thought struck Mina as she had imagined Jeongyeon bringing up the breakup with Sana, even though the two of them hadn’t mentioned it in months.

“I was selfish,” Mina admitted. “I didn’t want to let her go. I wanted to spare her the pain of a breakup, cause I did _love_ her, just not the way I should have. And part of me hoped over time, maybe I would fall for her like I should. But I couldn’t be deceitful anymore.” It felt almost therapeutic to get that off her chest.

It was an honest answer, more than Sana was expecting. Not really sure why, Sana was overcome with this feeling to help Mina out, thinking that the info she had picked up during her lunch with Jeongyeon was something the other girl needed to know. She couldn’t help herself when she blurted out: “I think she still loves you, Mina.”

The statement surprised Mina, but more than that, irritated her. Who was Sana, to say something like that after going out with Jeongyeon _once_? “She’s over me,” Mina assured, a bit too hastily. 

“That’s what she told you anyway, right?” Sana replied, looking at Mina with something close to pity. 

Mina didn’t like the look Sana was giving her, and she was tired of all these questions. Combined with the stress of their situation, and the hopelessness of it all, Mina’s anger finally reached its boiling point. “Don’t act like you know my personal life just because we switched bodies,” she snapped. “You don’t know me and you definitely don’t know Jeongyeon.” 

Sana blinked a few times, as if Mina’s harsh tone had brought her back to her senses. She shook her head, scolding herself for blurting out her observation to Mina in the first place. Gently placing a hand on Mina’s knee, Sana prepared an apology. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything. I know it’s none of my business. I just thought you should know, in case you weren’t aware of it already. When I was with her today, I could just tell by the way she was looking at me. Er, you, I mean.”

Running a hand through her hair, Mina let out a huff, letting her anger deflate. She hadn’t meant to snap at Sana like that, but she always grew defensive when it came to Jeongyeon. Part of her knew Sana was right, but the other part of her wanted to continue to deny it. She needed Jeongyeon in her life, and if Jeongyeon still loved her after all this time, what could she really do?

“I don’t think she’s holding out hope for you two anymore, though,” Sana added. “But it was kind of sad to see her puppy eyes…they reminded me of Momo’s.” Her voice grew quieter as she spoke, and she lifted her hand off of Mina’s knee. 

Mina jumped on the opportunity to change the subject because thinking about Jeongyeon still having feelings for her was too much to bear. “You miss her, don’t you?” Mina asked, looking at Sana knowingly. It was easy to see the sadness overcoming the other girl’s face. 

Not even bothering to deny it, Sana nodded. “I know it hasn’t even been a day but, it’s weird to not talk to her.”

“I’m sorry,” Mina said, genuinely. She truly felt bad for Sana, especially being the one who got to see Momo in Sana’s place. Feeling her cheeks flush at the thought of kissing Momo, she rubbed her face and groaned inwardly. 

“But at least I’ll get to see her tomorrow, right?” Sana’s eyes were shining, suddenly looking hopeful.

It took Mina a moment to realize what Sana was talking about. When she figured it out, her eyes widened. “Shit,” she muttered under her breath. She had dance class again tomorrow night. “You don’t know how to dance, do you?”

Sana pressed her lips together and slowly shook her head in dismay. “Just for fun. Not like you guys. But you can teach me, right?”

“In a day?” The request was absurd. One couldn’t simply learn the basics of dance in a few hours. “You can just call in sick for this one. I haven’t missed a dance class in over a year so I don’t think my teacher will be too mad.”

“I wanna learn though!” Sana whined. “Besides, this is my only chance to see Momo for who knows how long!” Mina didn’t look convinced, so Sana leaned forward, invading her personal space entirely. “Please! I’ve watched a good amount of your classes to not be entirely clueless. And I see Momo dance at home all the time!” 

Her pout was practically taking up all of Mina’s field of vision. Mina jerked backward, adamant in her decision, but Sana was relentless. “Sorry, my own pout doesn’t work on me,” Mina confirmed. “It actually makes me cringe, seeing it,” she shuttered. 

Sana gasped dramatically and her cute pout turned into a serious one. “C’mon, Mina! I have free time tomorrow afternoon after your morning class. And I know you have some free time then, too. It’s perfect!”

Mina’s guilt began to eat at her again, and she knew she was a goner. Sure enough, she was agreeing to Sana’s request, and the girl was pulling her into a tight hug. 

“I’ll work really hard!” Sana assured, pulling away from Mina, finally. She realized she had hugged Mina without thinking. Did their closeness make the girl’s heart flutter? 

Sana wondered if she should avoid doing things like that in the future, if Mina really did have a crush on her. It would only torment the poor girl, after all. 

“You better, or else I won’t let you go to class. We’ll see how you’re doing when I’m done showing you some things but if I decide you’re not ready, you can’t go,” Mina said. “I can’t have you embarrassing me in front of everyone.”

“I won’t! You’ll see,” Sana replied. She looked giddy and excited, and Mina couldn’t help but smile softly at the sight. 

  
  
◆◆◆

The girls returned to their respective apartments to finish up classwork and get ready for bed. It felt slightly less uncomfortable than the first night after the switch.

Sana greeted Jihyo, spending a few moments filling in the girl on her day. “Lunch with Jeongyeon was fun,” she told Mina’s roommate. 

Jihyo, who was sprawled on the couch in the living room, gave Sana a small smile. “I’m glad you two went out alone. I think you both needed it.”

Nodding, Sana could only pretend she knew what Jihyo was talking about. Maybe Mina had been having a rough time as of late, she couldn’t really know for sure. College seemed to take its toll on everyone in different ways, herself included. Momo was like her salvation among the stress of studying law, so she could only help Mina had ways to relieve her stress and stay sane as well. 

“Can I join you?” Sana asked, feeling like she needed a breather before cracking into her latest reading assignment. Jihyo nodded, and made room for Sana on the couch. Jihyo was watching what appeared to be a drama, just what Sana needed to relax. 

Mina came home to an empty apartment, partially relieved Nayeon was probably still at the library getting work done. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to see Sana’s roommate, but the luxury of not having a pair of eyes on her meant she could take off the mask she’d been wearing all day. It felt nice to unwind, not worrying about playing pretend at least for a little bit.

She welcomed the quiet night in, only interrupted by a few texts from Momo, and another friend of Sana’s named Chaeyoung, who she hadn’t yet met. A little after midnight, she heard the sound of the apartment door opening. Nayeon was finally home. Even through Sana’s closed bedroom door, Mina could hear Nayeon shuffling about, even groaning a few times out loud. Clearly the girl was frustrated and tired, and had no intention of hiding it. 

Mina chuckled to herself at the sound of Nayeon’s mumbling. She curiously opened Sana’s door a crack and peeked her head outside, observing Nayeon throwing together a late night dinner that consisted of some ramen. 

“Sorry, didn’t mean to make so much noise,” Nayeon called, without turning her back to look at Mina. She must’ve heard the girl open the bedroom door. “I’ll be quieter if you’re planning to go to bed soon.” 

“That’s alright, it’ll probably be another half an hour or so,” Mina replied. 

Nayeon turned to look over her shoulder, giving Mina a thankful smile. Even with slight bags under her eyes, the girl still managed to be in good spirits. Nayeon found whenever she was with her best friend, her mood generally lifted. 

“Good night,” Mina said, after she gave Sana’s friend a small smile back. 

“Good night,” Nayeon said. For a moment it looked as though the girl wanted to say more, so Mina hesitated on shutting Sana’s door again. She watched as Nayeon fiddled with the drawstring of her hoodie, chewing on the plastic end piece before she turned around and opened up the microwave, which had been blaring to signify that her food was ready.

Mina took that as a cue that the conversation was over. She took one last look at Nayeon before she stepped back into Sana’s bedroom and shut the door. Shutting off the lights, Mina flopped onto Sana’s bed, pulling out the girl’s phone so she could make a final run through SMS before shutting her eyes. 

  
  
◆◆◆

When Mina awoke during the middle of the night to find the space beside her cold and empty, a part of her ached. She knew she’d wake up disappointed again and again when she switched back with Sana, until time mercifully faded the memory of Momo’s warm arms around her. She wished, bitterly, that Momo had never crawled into Sana’s bed last night at all.

When Sana awoke during the middle of the night to find the space beside her empty, she wondered if Mina was sleeping peacefully with Momo at her side. She wondered if Momo was pestering the girl with soft kisses, as she often did with her. Sana wondered if Mina, who seemed so flustered and shy, would grow brave enough to return them, one day. 

  
  
◆◆◆

The next day, Sana and Mina danced in an empty studio a few hours before Mina’s class was supposed to begin. Mina had shown Sana how to reserve a room in advance so that they had it all to themselves.

Mina showed Sana the basic warmup they’d be doing to prepare for class, and she huffed when Sana discovered she was more flexible than her at the moment. Sana simply grinned, pushing her new body to the max. 

“Stop looking at me like that,” Mina whined, “I’m way more flexible than you!”

“Not right now you’re not,” Sana replied, giving Mina a wink. 

Rolling her eyes, Mina turned away and got them going on another stretch.

Once their warm up was done, they moved onto basic dance techniques. It was almost fascinating to watch Sana dance now, because Mina could pick out what _not_ to do when she switched back to her own body. 

Sana was a bit of an uncoordinated mess at first, but when she really focused, she was actually a decent dancer. Mina wasn’t sure if it was her own ability to learn fast, or the benefits the girl had from being in the body of a dancer, that led her to pick up techniques and choreography at an impressive rate. 

“So, am I ready for class tonight? I thought I looked pretty good,” Sana proudly stated.

Biting her lip, Mina considered the risk. Sana did look _semi_ decent, but she still had the technique of a newbie. Surely if anyone paid close attention to her during class, they would be confused at her sudden lack of coordination. 

“Stand in the back row. Pay close attention to the teacher. If anyone gives you any problems, say you’re not feeling well. But most importantly, don’t say much to Momo.”

“Why not?” Sana asked, glumly. 

“I don’t say much to her,” Mina admitted, looking down at the wood floor shyly. “She’s gonna think I’m a weirdo if you start talking her ear off.”

“You are a weirdo, but noted,” Sana teased. 

Mina dragged her feet as she left the practice room, dreading leaving Sana alone. Part of her was tempted to text Momo about letting her sit in on class today, but she figured watching Sana dance in her place would only make them both more nervous. She had to trust Sana, and trust in herself that she wasn’t making a decision she was bound to regret.

Besides, she had a lot of classwork to catch up on. The thought of all the reading she had to do already gave her a headache. Sana had brought the textbooks Mina needed to do her readings to their little practice session, while she had brought what Sana needed as well. Despite how crazy the situation was that they were in, they were somehow still managing to make it work. Barely. 

  
  
◆◆◆

  
  


Sana got to Mina’s dance class slightly early, nervous despite the practice session with Mina that she had aced. She staggered to the practice room packed with everything Mina had brought to the class when the switch had first happened. As she walked through the hallway, she heard soft music coming from the room the class was held in. Curious, she peeked through the small window on the door to see that Momo was there alone, dancing. 

Momo. Looked. Incredible. 

Sana had seen her girlfriend dance countless times, but in the dance studio, completely in her element, Momo was like a totally different person. 

Her white crop top showed off her toned abs, and Sana’s hands itched to reach out and run her fingers along them. She bit her lip, fighting the urge to burst through the door and do exactly that. 

“Is someone in there practicing?” a voice asked, startling Sana and making her jump. “Whoa, sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.” The person laughed—they clearly found Sana’s reaction very amusing. 

It was a guy in the class that Sana recognized. He moved past Sana to peek through the door window as well before Sana even had time to say anything. “Damn, now I see why you hesitated to go inside. Hirai’s amazing.” 

A lump formed in Sana’s throat. She wanted to agree wholeheartedly, gushing over how talented her girlfriend was, but she had to bite her tongue. “She really is,” is all Sana offered. 

Luckily, the song finished shortly after that and Momo moved to the side of the room to get a drink. The guy—Hoshi—gave Sana a wink and brushed past her to open the door. Sana huffed and followed after him. Momo immediately greeted them both, and Sana wasn’t sure why but she suddenly felt shy. 

“You guys could’ve come in, you know,” Momo replied, after taking another swig of her water. “I didn’t mean to hold you up.” Had she seen Sana staring? 

“I just got here,” Hoshi assured. “Who knows how long Mina was standing there gawking, though.” He gave Sana a smug look.

Sana scoffed, not liking a stranger teasing her like that. She had to remind herself that Mina was probably well acquainted with him, though. “I didn’t want to interrupt. And I wasn’t _gawking_.”

Momo laughed, and Sana immediately relaxed at the familiar sound. “Hope you guys are ready for today. There’s a lot of new stuff planned.”

Inwardly groaning, Sana suddenly felt more nervous than ever. She could only pray she wouldn’t embarrass Mina too much today. 

  
  
◆◆◆

Mina sat in the middle of a lecture hall, exactly where Sana had instructed her to sit for the class. Sana’s class on criminal law was actually a bit fascinating, but no amount of crime or law shows had prepared Mina for anything she heard. She dutifully typed notes though, hunched over Sana’s laptop, which was a lot smaller in comparison to her own. 

One thing she noticed, just walking to Sana’s class, was that Sana knew a lot of people. It seemed every person who passed by her said hello. A bit startled, Mina softly replied to each person, nodding her head and trying her best to give a friendly smile. She so badly wanted to stick her airpods in and drown out the world, like she always did walking to and from class. 

The attention was kind of nice though, although it made her feel all the more self conscious. While Sana could fly under the radar in her body, Mina had to really play the part of Sana well, or risk notice from others.

Mina wondered how Sana was handling herself in dance. Her stomach twisted with dread as she imagined her messing up every bit of choreo, or _worse,_ accidentally saying something flirty to Momo. She sunk father down into her seat, silently praying to the universe that nothing would go wrong. But, it seemed the universe didn’t much like her, anyway, considering some unknown force at work decided to completely screw up her life in the first place. 

  
  
◆◆◆

Class went by like a blur, and Sana barely retained any of it. She tried her best to be as attentive as possible, but Momo’s eyes on her were distracting. Sana felt self conscious, and embarrassed not only for her sake, but Mina’s as well. She tried her best though, barely keeping up with the rest of the class. 

Once it was finally over, Sana sighed with relief, feeling strangely invigorated. She could understand why Momo loved dance so much—there was something so beautiful about the human body in motion and how it could be used to tell a story or even capture a mood. 

_This_ , Sana thought, _is like a language without words_. 

As everyone began to gather their things, Sana hesitantly returned to Mina’s backpack at the side of the room to pack up as well. The rest of Mina’s classmates chatted amongst themselves, but Sana kept her head down and stayed quiet. 

As she packed her things, Momo, backpack in hand, walked up behind her. “Are you okay?” Momo asked, startling Sana. Her girlfriend was giving her a concerned look. “You’ve been a little off your game today.” Sana knew Momo was just being polite, because that was the understatement of the century. 

“I’ve been sick,” Sana replied, coughing a bit for dramatic effect while slipping Mina’s hoodie over her head. “I pulled an all nighter last night, too.” She might as well lay the excuses on thick. 

Momo looked at Sana with pity. “I’ve been there. Maybe you caught the same bug Sana had, although she seemed to bounce back in a day. Hopefully that means you’ll feel better soon!” Momo gave her a reassuring smile that almost made Sana’s worries melt away. But even Momo’s smile couldn’t fix this situation.

If this were a normal night, Sana would wrap herself around Momo, ignoring the sweat sticking to her skin, and drag her back to her apartment. They’d stumble and laugh on the way, drunk on each other’s closeness. They’d annoy Nayeon as they stumbled inside, but she’d refuse to go back in her room, so the three of them would pass out on the couch in the living room, watching a drama together. 

In a blink, Sana imagined the moment pass by, but she was left simply forcing a smile to her lips, agreeing with Momo’s assumption as if she weren’t forced to pretend she was just an acquaintance to Momo. As if Momo wasn’t her favorite person in the whole entire world. 

Sana looked at Momo with pleading eyes, as if willing Momo to really see her. But Momo stared back without a care in the world. 

Never had Sana imagined a sight more painful. Seeing Momo look at her with the eyes of a stranger—no longer with the same fondness she had taken for granted. 

Momo wished her a good night, telling her to get some rest. There was no teasing goodbye kiss, no quiet “I love you,” laced with the usual shyness. 

For a moment, Sana considered taking the girl by the shoulders and confessing everything to her. Revealing the switch, that she was actually Sana and not Mina. But a sudden fear overcame her, and Mina’s warning echoed through her mind. Would Momo really believe her? How could she possibly believe something so impossible? She might believe Sana, but she might _not_ too, and that possibility was enough for Sana to lock her mouth shut. 

Sana stood frozen as she watched Momo walk out the door. Probably off to meet Mina as she got out of Sana’s class, to walk back to the dorms together. Would Mina invite Momo inside her apartment? Would Nayeon pester them, as she always did? Would the three settle on the couch together, watching a drama? Would it be as though nothing changed for them at all?

The thought of Mina replacing Sana stirred a surge of bitterness she had been repressing at the start of all this. It reared its ugly head as Sana clenched her fists and stared at her new reflection in the practice room mirror.

As the stillness of the now empty practice room settled, Sana realized the seriousness of the situation she was in. This game wasn't fun anymore. It wasn’t even a game at all.


	3. blue

On the walk back to Mina’s apartment, Sana’s head hung low. She was ignoring the text from Mina, asking how practice went, until she got back to the apartment. Lacking the energy to send a message was part of the reason she was hesitating to respond, the other half was her own bitterness. It felt as though Mina deserved a punishment for getting to spend time with Momo, who was undoubtedly rushing home to shower before going over to Sana’s apartment to _ study _ . 

Often, Sana and Momo hung out to do homework together—sitting in silence with their shoulders touching as they each typed away on their laptops. Just being near each other was enough to make them satisfied. Now, Mina would get to enjoy Momo’s silent company instead. 

Sana had told Mina to play the part of the dutiful girlfriend, but now Sana was starting to regret it. Part of her wanted to talk to Mina and tell her to stay away from her girlfriend—but she knew if the girl did that, Momo would be hurt. All the sadness Sana was feeling now was worth it, as long as Momo remained happy until Mina could figure out some way to fix this. 

That’s what Sana told herself, anyway. 

After finally making it back to Mina’s apartment, Sana’s stomach growled as soon as she walked through the door. She was  _ starving  _ and ready to shower away the bad feelings of the night. To her surprise though, sitting at the kitchen counter eating were both Jihyo  _ and  _ Jeongyeon. 

“Welcome home!” Jeongyeon called, in a playfully enthusiastic way. Based on the state of the kitchen, it was clear the two of them had cooked up something semi-involved. “You hungry?”

The smell of the stew sitting on the stove made Sana’s mouth water. She slipped off her sneakers and set her backpack down near the door

“That smells like heaven,” Sana murmured as her feet carried her forward toward the counter as if on their own accord. “But I should probably go shower…”

“You should eat before everything gets cold,” Jihyo replied. “We made three servings worth cause we knew you’d be hungry.”

“Besides, the aroma of the stew is strong enough to hide the smell of your musk,” Jeongyeon chided.

Sana scoffed, looking at Jeongyeon in offense. “I do _ not _ stink,” she objected. Did she? “I’m just a little sweaty, that’s all.” She hoped not. After all, she had truly worked up a sweat, despite being in Mina’s more conditioned body. 

“Sit down,” Jihyo commanded, pulling out the stool beside her and cueing Sana to sit. 

Feeling torn, Sana hesitantly complied. It was hard to not listen to Jihyo. The girl gave off an aura of commanding energy that made anyone want to do as she said. Perhaps that’s one of the reasons why Jihyo did so well as a law student. During the few mock trials Sana had done with Jihyo, the girl spoke professionally and pleasantly—not missing a single beat as she launched into her punchy offense. 

Sana really did want to be alone right now, but the smell of the stew was too enticing. Besides, she worked really hard during Mina’s dance practice and needed to relax. Maybe being around other people would help her not be eaten alive by her negative thoughts. 

Jihyo and Jeongyeon stood up and got her a portion of stew, wordlessly setting it in front of her on the table. 

The act of kindness made Sana melt a bit. She looked up at the two girls standing across from her and smiled gratefully. The love directed toward her by these two strangers made her feel slightly unworthy and guilty. She wondered, perhaps, if this was how Mina felt when Momo looked at her with a loving gaze. “Thank you,” Sana replied. “You didn’t have to get that for me.”

“It’s not a big deal. You’ve been working hard,” Jihyo said, figuring that was enough of an explanation. She reached across the table and gave Sana’s head a gentle pat. 

The simple touch warmed Sana’s heart—she couldn’t help but lean into it and hum contentedly. She closed her eyes for a moment, imagining the affection was from Momo instead. Thinking back to the last time Momo had cooked dinner for her, only a few weeks ago, her stomach began to ache. 

Nayeon always teased Sana about how much she babied Momo, but to Sana, it seemed Momo was really the one taking care of her every day. Momo’s affection was a bit more subtle than Sana’s, but it was as solid as a rock. 

Sana always found it in the way that Momo reached for her hands under the table as they sat across from each other at restaurants, or the way Momo always held the door for her. In her words of encouragement whenever Sana’s mood inexplicably took a turn for the worse and life became tiring. Momo would make her put her classwork aside and guide her to lay down on her bed. Momo would start talking about anything ranging from existential nonsense to music, and halfway through the conversation Momo would make Sana laugh until her stomach hurt. 

Momo was Sana’s strength.

Shaking herself out of her self-pitying daze, Sana attempted to focus back on the conversation going on in front of her. She laughed at Jeongyeon’s lame jokes, earning disappointed glances from Jihyo, just as Mina said would happen. She even got Jihyo talking about her love life—which seemed to be picking up slightly these days, from the sounds of it. The girl was surprisingly private though, even with her best friends. Sana couldn’t even tell who the girl in question was that apparently had her sights set on Jihyo these days. Mina surely knew, but Jihyo wasn’t even dropping any names or major clues for Sana to pick up on. 

It was disappointing, considering Sana was a sucker for romance and relationships, but it made her all the more intrigued. She vowed to herself she would figure out who this girl in Jihyo’s life was before she switched back to her own body. As the topic of the conversation changed, Sana pouted her lips and kept digging into her stew. 

For a moment, Sana let herself believe she belonged here. Jihyo and Jeongyeon made it so easy too, with their laid back personalities. She could imagine the two girls meshing well with her own group, actually. 

“Any update on that surprise party yet?” Jeongyeon asked, looking at Sana with interest. Jihyo’s curious eyes also landed on her as well. It was clear Jeongyeon had already told Mina’s roommate about the news from their lunch together yesterday.

“Nothing yet. Momo’s birthday is still a month out, after all,” Sana replied. Thank god for that. She definitely did not have time to take on party planning on top of everything else she was currently going through.

“You really had to lie about that, huh?” Jihyo jested, faking a look of hurt.

Sana held up her hands in innocence. “It’s a  _ surprise _ party. That means we’re supposed to keep it a secret! That’s like, the code of the universe!” 

Jihyo snorted. “It’s not like we’d tell anyone.”

“Sana didn’t want me to say anything, I’m sorry,” she whined. It was better to push the blame on someone else at this point, even though it was technically back to her. 

Jihyo and Jeongyeon looked at each other with mischievous expressions but said nothing. If Mina were here, surely she could tell the unspoken thought her two friends shared, but currently Sana was cast further and further into the dark. 

She couldn’t help but feel there was something she was missing. One detail about Mina’s life she didn’t know. 

Without even realizing it, Sana had completely zoned out again, falling back into her own head. As she did so, Jihyo and Jeongyeon began to bicker back and forth—the friendly kind that resulted in whining, irrepressible laughter, and light punches to the arm. Jeongyeon glanced at Sana in the midst of it, expecting to hear the girl’s muffled laughter at Jihyo’s expense, but Sana was still looking down at her unfinished bowl of stew with a glazed over eyes.

“Tired?” Jeongyeon asked Sana, with lips forming into an understanding smile. 

Sana nodded, rubbing at her eyes with the back of her hands. She was tired, but that didn’t explain her quietness. “Mmhmm,” she hummed. “Sorry, class was exhausting.”

“She worked extra hard for Momo,” Jihyo replied, smirking a moment before eating a spoonful of beef. 

The sound of Momo’s name was like a jolt to her system. Sana’s head snapped in Jihyo’s direction, looking at the girl with wide eyes. “W-what?” Sana asked. Then she remembered—Momo was Mina’s TA, and Mina must’ve told them about her. Of course Mina’s friends would know about her crush’s  _ girlfriend _ . 

“That woke her up,” Jeongyeon muttered, raising an eyebrow at Sana’s almost unintentional eagerness. She expected to hear Mina’s regular mumbling and whining, but the girl sitting across from her simply blinked in confusion, looking lost. In fact, Jeongyeon had noticed her friend looking unusually lost lately. 

Mina kind of always had a look about her like she was observing the world and trying to find her place in it, but this look was less observant and more dazed, like she was just trying to stay afloat in completely new territory. 

“It’s not like Sana was around to impress,” Sana jested, deciding to play along with Mina’s friends. Since they were teasing about Mina’s crush, she prided herself having learned enough about Mina to respond accordingly. But it didn’t seem to be working, as both girls stared at her blankly. “She only watches classes once a week, if that,” Sana elaborated. 

Jeongyeon made a noise that sounded almost like a snort. “Oh, so you have a new crush now?”

Jihyo leaned forward, with her elbows pressed against the table. “Sana’s cute, and Mina has been spending time with her recently,” she said, facing Jeongyeon. 

Oh? Sana might have been flattered by the compliment had she not been so confused. 

“From one taken girl to another, you sure know how to pick ‘em,” Jeongyeon continued, talking with her mouth slightly full.

Sana felt her jaw go slack. Her head became clouded and fuzzy, as if her thoughts flew away. All she could do was sit and stare into space as she listened to Jeongyeon and Jihyo continue their teasing that wasn’t meant for her. 

When she’d had lunch with Jeongyeon, Sana had been so sure the girl was hinting at Mina having a crush on her. After all—when Sana had brought up herself, Jeongyeon had made a big deal about it. But it wasn’t the thought of Mina spending time with Sana that piqued Jeongyeon’s interest, Sana realized, it was the thought of Mina spending time with  _ Momo’s  _ girlfriend. 

Momo, Mina’s crush. 

And just like that, everything clicked into place. Mina’s shyness and awkwardness around Momo despite the two knowing each other for years—the feeling that Mina disliked Sana despite the two of them barely knowing each other. Sana had told herself she was just being paranoid when she felt Mina’s eyes boring into the back of her head whenever she stopped by the arts building to watch Momo help teach the class. But now...

Of course Mina would have a crush on Momo. Momo, her pretty, talented, TA. The TA that Sana had given Mina permission to cozy up to while they dealt with this mix-up. 

Sana felt so, so stupid. 

Abruptly standing up, skidding her stool against the wood of the kitchen floor, Sana made both Jeongyeon and Jihyo flinch in surprise. 

“Are you okay?” Jeongyeon asked immediately, instantly looking guilty—as if her teasing were the cause of her friend’s behavior. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean—“

Sana swallowed loudly, trying to rid her mouth of the bitterness that had coated her tongue. “I’m just feeling sick, all of a sudden.” It wasn’t a lie, Sana did feel as though she were about to heave up the meal she had started to eat. She placed her bowl and chopsticks in the sink. “I’ll wash these later. Thanks for making me dinner.” She tried her best to smile at Mina’s friends. After all, they hadn’t done anything wrong. 

It was Mina who had hid this secret. Mina, who she couldn’t help but feel was a traitor. 

She quickly locked herself away in Mina’s bedroom, preparing to take a hot shower to try to calm the storm raging through her veins. Taking a glance at Mina's phone, seeing one new message from the girl asking if everything was alright, Sana turned it off and tossed it on the bed. 

She wouldn’t touch it again for the night. 

  
  
  


Sana was correct in her assumption about Momo’s plans for the evening. After dance class, Momo fast-walked back to her dorm to take a hot shower before heading over to Sana’s. Mina was waiting anxiously prepping for Momo’s arrival. She tried to get as much of her actual coursework done before Momo came over, knowing she couldn’t let the girl catch her reading her organic chemistry textbook. 

Mina cleaned Sana’s room, but then decided she shouldn't leave it completely spotless. Throwing a jacket on the back of Sana’s desk chair, and the girl’s bed slightly askew, she felt it looked similar to the state she had first seen Sana’s room in. Would her and Momo hang out in Sana’s room? Or would they just stay in the living room on the couch? 

Part of Mina was also scared that Momo was expecting this to be something more than just a  _ study _ night. Even just the thought made her face burn. 

If only Sana would answer her texts, but the girl had gone radio silent. She was itching to know how the dance class had gone. Her anxiety swelled at the thought of Sana completely messing up—making a fool out of her to the entire dance class. 

Besides, she could actually use a friend’s reassurance right about now. If she could even call Sana a friend. She supposed she could, with all the two girls had been through in only the span of a few days. Being in Sana’s body, she learned more about the girl than she ever had in the year she rarely interacted with her. 

She longed to tell Jeongyeon and Jihyo about the mess she’d gotten into. They would lose their minds if they knew she had kissed Momo. 

Sana’s phone buzzed suddenly, and Mina, who was sitting down on Sana’s bed, practically jumped for it. She held her breath, eyes wide as she stared at the screen.  _ Sana? _

But no, it was just Momo confirming she would be over soon, sent with a kissy face emoji. Mina’s mood instantly dropped. She tried to steady her breathing to not let herself freak out. There was no way she could navigate Sana’s life without the girl’s help. If she was alone in this, everything would fall apart. 

The fact that Sana wasn’t responding to her also made her increasingly worried. Even if she ran home and jumped in the shower after dance class, Sana would be done by now. And Mina knew Sana was an avid texter, just like she was, so this lack of response was unusual. 

What would she do if Sana just stopped talking to her completely? What if the girl single handedly ruined her life...and there was nothing she could do about it? At least, Mina thought bitterly, if Sana messed things up on her end of things, Mina had no problem doing the same here. Mutually assured destruction would keep them both in line, hopefully.

That was the only thought giving her any semblance of comfort. Sana’s silence and the thought of Momo being intoxicatingly close to her again made Mina’s stomach twist. 

Since Mina had kissed Momo, it had been at the back of her mind even through the next day. What would she do if Momo cornered her again tonight and leaned in for another kiss? What would she do if she was the one who leaned in this time?

Maybe she should just come clean to Sana now and tell her she couldn’t do this. Playing the girlfriend was just too dangerous for the time being. Sana would probably be super upset, of course, but maybe facing the girl’s wrath was better than this internal conflict she was waging war with...

_ Shit. _ There really was no obvious answer for how to solve everything. Mina was overwhelmed by her hopelessness again. 

“Hey, are you okay?” A soft voice asked. 

Mina looked up from where she was laying on Sana’s bed to the doorway of the girl’s room. There was Nayeon, with wide eyes. Lips puckered in curiosity and concern. A stab of annoyance at Nayeon intrusion made Mina prepare to build up her walls, but then she realized the tear slipping down her own cheek.

Wiping the spilled tear with a flick of a finger, Mina quickly turned away from Nayeon’s gaze. She didn’t want Sana’s friend to see her crying. How embarrassing. 

“I’m fine,” she assured while sniffling. She glanced back at Nayeon, who crossed her arms and didn’t budge. “Really. It was just this cute dog video I saw online.” 

Nayeon let out a sigh, but she smiled at Mina knowingly. “Since when do you cry over cute dog videos? Are you growing soft in your old age?” There was a teasing edge to her voice, though it was still filled with warmth. 

Mina recognized what the girl was trying to do—comfort her without prying. Though Nayeon clearly knew she was lying, she didn’t force anything out of her. Mina appreciated that. 

“Maybe I am,” she mumbled. “Oh, I meant to tell you, Momo is coming by soon to study. Hope you don’t mind.”

Nayeon raised an eyebrow, leaning back against the door frame. Sana had fallen into a bad habit of not warning Nayeon when Momo was coming over. Not that it really mattered, considering she was never bothered by either of them, and often shoved inserted herself as a third wheel. “I don’t, no. I’ll probably be holed up in my room anyway. I wanna get some work done tonight so I have a free weekend. Speaking of this weekend, are we still on for the escape room? Momo mentioned you booked it.”

Mina’s eyes widened. Another thing Sana had forgotten to mention. “Escape room?” She questioned. Then, when Nayeon’s eyes narrowed at her suspiciously, she quickly sat up and waved her hand. “Oh, right! Uh, yeah, I booked it.” At least, she hoped Sana got to do that before they had switched. Mina had never done an escape room before and really had no idea what to expect, but the thought of being in a small, dark room alone with Nayeon and Momo both was quite terrifying and certainly wouldn’t be good for her heart. 

Stepping away from the doorframe, Nayeon walked toward Sana’s bed and sat down on the end, making Mina instinctively move backward to avoid being too close to her. Again, Nayeon gave her a strange look but it quickly faded when Mina forced a small smile. 

“So it’ll be me, you, Momo, Chaeyoung and Tzuyu…” Nayeon listed. Mina had no idea who Tzuyu was, but she recognized Chaeyoung as one of the girls who texted Sana on occasion. “I’m confident I can lead us all to victory.”

Despite Mina really having no experience with escape rooms, she wanted to burst Nayeon’s bubble. “That makes one of us,” she said, giving Nayeon a smug grin.

Nayeon gasped. “The disrespect,” she yelled, making Mina both laugh and flinch at the volume. Nayeon moved so that she was sitting beside Mina, and then reached for her head, putting her in an unexpected headlock. “I may just have to tickle you for that.”

The first thing Mina realized was that Nayeon was very  _ close _ to her. In this awkward position, Mina’s head was nearly pressed against the girl’s chest. Nayeon, she realized, was very warm and smelled like fresh linen. 

Nayeon, on the other hand, took note of the fact that her friend wasn’t wearing the usual fruity perfume that Momo loved, that sometimes drove Nayeon’s nose crazy.

Letting out a whine, Mina attempted to squirm out of the headlock, but Nayeon was  _ strong. _ Her two large hands were locked between one another, trapping Mina in her iron grip. “Get off!” Mina ordered, but Nayeon didn’t budge and looked down at her in amusement. Her laugh rang out like a cackle, and something like a static shock zipped along Mina’s spine. She kept struggling, however, twisting and pushing against the other girl. 

Normally, Sana would whine for a moment and beg her not to tickle her, before giving up and leaning back against Nayeon. Now, Nayeon was amused by her friend’s determination. Knowing Sana’s most ticklish spot was her sides, Nayeon quickly released a hand and reached for the other girl’s sides with wiggling figures. 

Mina saw what the girl was trying to do and twisted out of Nayeon’s reach, then she reached a hand up to turn the tide and tickle Nayeon’s sides instead. As Mina’s fingers barely pressed down against Nayeon’s now exposed skin, the girl’s grip on Mina instantly released. Nayeon hollered and squirmed, nearly rolling off the bed to get away from Mina’s fingers. “Hey!” Nayeon whined, as Mina laughed at her. “I was supposed to be the one tickling you!” 

The pout on Nayeon’s face made Mina feel almost bad, so she stopped laughing and opted to grin instead. “You have to be faster than that if you’re gonna lead us all to victory,” Mina teased. 

Nayeon let herself collapse on the bed, groaning overdramatically as if she’d actually been hurt, although Mina had only tickled her for about a second. “You’re so mean,” she whined, with her cheeks puffed out and pressed against Sana’s comforter. 

Looking down at the sight, Mina felt something strange ball up in her stomach. Shaking her head, she turned away from Nayeon’s gaze. It was odd how comfortable she already felt with Nayeon despite the girl practically being a stranger. In fact, she’d just met her days ago. It had taken months for her to feel comfortable opening up to Jihyo and Jeongyeon both when she’d first met them. With Nayeon it felt too easy. Maybe some of Sana’s habits had stayed ingrained in her body, carrying over to Mina now. 

That’s what she told herself, anyway. 

The sound of a knock on the door startled both Nayeon and Mina. “I bet that’s Momo,” Nayeon said, slinking off the bed back into a standing position. “I’ll get it.” She gave Mina a wink before disappearing into the living room. 

Mina let out a loud sigh, mentally preparing herself for being bombarded by another pretty girl after barely surviving whatever happened between her and Nayeon. She’d have to ask Sana about the escape room later. 

Studying with Momo was a lot more relaxed than Mina anticipated. Her and Momo sat on the couch in the living room, typing on their laptops in a strangely comfortable silence. Momo’s right shoulder was pressed against her left, meaning Mina couldn’t actually get any real work done with Sana’s girlfriend able to look at her screen so easily. She opted for reorganizing notes she had taken for Sana in class.

“How did dance go?” Mina asked, trying to see if anything Sana had done had left an impact on Momo.

“Class was a bit harder on everyone today,” Momo admitted. “Poor Mina was struggling a bit. She said she was sick. She probably got it from you.” Momo bumped into Mina playfully, giving her a lazy smile. “I told her you seemed to bounce back so fast that she will too.” 

Feeling her face flush, Mina turned her attention back to Sana’s laptop. So Sana did embarrass her after all. Not shocking at all. Was that why Sana was ignoring her text messages now? Was she scared to face her? “I’m sure she’ll be feeling better soon.” 

“I hope so, you’re lucky you didn’t take her out completely when you fell,” Momo teased. “You could’ve broken her arm or something.” The concern Momo had for her made Mina’s chest compress. 

“What about me? I could’ve hurt myself too,” Mina murmured, trying to act offended, but there was an infectious smile forming on her face. 

“I think you’re made of rubber or something, because no matter how many times you fall, you never seem to get seriously hurt.”

“Maybe I just have a guardian angel,” Mina said, still smiling. She began to type on her keyboard, trying to distract herself from the fact that Momo’s lips were right  _ there  _ looking as soft and kissable as ever. 

The warmth of Momo’s breath on her neck was absolutely frustrating. Mina pressed her tongue to the roof of her mouth, trying her best to ignore Momo’s eyes on her. Out of the corner of her eye, Mina could tell they were lustful and dangerous. Taunting her. 

Lines had to be drawn. If Momo wanted to go further than kisses and cuddles, Mina had to stop her. Both for Momo’s sake and her own. She ran a bunch of excuses through her head, thinking about what could explain why Sana would suddenly be much less affectionate.

Luckily, Momo didn’t say anything else and instead got back to reading something on her laptop. Mina tried to breathe normally, pretending to be busy. 

Nayeon, on occasion, would interrupt them both, asking if they wanted snacks, or talking to Momo about her day. Nayeon’s presence was actually a relief, and it was nice to see how well Nayeon and Momo got along. Sana, Nayeon and Momo reminded her of Jihyo, Jeongyeon and herself in a way, though their dynamics were very different. 

After about an hour and a half of Mina pretending to get work done while swallowing down her pounding heart, Momo closed her laptop loudly and announced she was done. She looked at Mina expectantly. 

Gulping, Mina slowly shut her laptop too. “Do you...wanna go to my room?”

Momo nodded, setting her laptop down on the coffee table in front of the couch. Mina did the same and followed Momo as she headed toward Sana’s room. With every step, Mina felt butterflies in her stomach, fluttering against its lining so hard that it felt as though it might burst. There was an almost sickening anticipation, as Mina could only wait to see what Momo would do or wanted. 

Closing the bedroom door behind them both, Mina looked to Momo as she sat down on Sana’s bed. Mina hesitated a moment before joining her. 

“Are you okay?” Momo asked, watching Mina closely. She reached her hand out and took Mina’s, delicately tracing her thumb in circles on the side of Mina’s palm. The motion always calmed Sana whenever she was stressed. “You’ve been acting...different.”

Underneath her thumb, Momo could feel Mina’s heartbeat racing. 

“I’m okay,” Mina assured, and tried her best to give Momo a smile, but it felt stretched out and wrong on her face. 

Momo looked at her sadly, nodding. “I won’t press. Whatever it is, you can tell me when you’re ready,” she said, softly. “For now, I’m here for you however you need me to be. I just hope I haven’t done anything wrong.”

Lifting her head, Mina gazed into Momo’s curious and gentle eyes. Momo’s trust toward Sana made her chest ache. Mina was hit with a sudden urge to confess everything to Momo, but she simply bit her lip instead. Besides, if she told Momo now, she would probably hate her and Sana both for not telling her right away. 

“You haven’t done anything wrong,” Mina assured. “It’s all me, I’m sorry.” A pause, and then she added “I hope I’ll be back to my old self soon.” 

That’s all Mina could offer now—a hope. There was no promise that things would ever go back to how they were. The guilt of coming between Sana and Momo ripped Mina apart once again. They were so very much in love, and here she was, in the middle of it all. A stranger not worthy of this kindness. 

The lack of an explanation from Mina seemed to disappoint Momo, so Mina placed her free hand on Momo’s knee. The touch sent sparks shooting up her spine. If Sana was here now, she would probably hold Momo tight. So, that’s exactly what Mina did. She guided Momo back onto the bed and they laid there, entangled with one another in silence.

Momo’s hair smelled like vanilla and oranges. 

  
  
  


After Sana took a shower, washing away the dried sweat and sad revelations of the evening, she tried her best to get some homework done before she retired to bed. More often than not though, she missed Momo. She was beginning to miss the girl so much that it hurt. 

This was all some sick, cosmic joke. 

Being unable to focus, Sana even began to try researching the subject of body switching on her own. Of course, the results were as useless as they were the first night Mina had looked the night it all began. Frustrated, Sana groaned, resting her cheek against Mina’s wooden desk. Closing her eyes, she imagined what Mina and Momo were doing now. 

The thought of them embracing gave off a bitter taste in Sana’s mouth. It’s funny that at first she hadn’t been jealous of the thought at all, weirdly enough. It had been so different when Sana thought Mina really didn’t wanna be with Momo….but now…

There was a knock on the door that made Sana’s head jolt up from where it was resting. She sighed loudly but got up to open the door. She peeked outside, seeing Jihyo standing a few feet away, looking apologetic. 

“Hey,” she replied, scratching the back of her head and looking at the floor. “I just...wanted to check up on you. Jeongyeon went home for the night and, you hadn’t come out of your room in awhile, so…” It was clear Jihyo was a bit uncomfortable, but still wanted to check up on her friend anyway.

Sana bit her tongue, biting back the many snarky comments floating up into her thoughts. It wouldn’t be right to lash out her frustration on the girl. “Thanks for checking in,” Sana said, opening the door fully. “I just suddenly wasn’t feeling great.”

Jihyo hummed, crossing her arms and leaning her weight on her left heel. “What you were saying at dinner… Do you really like Sana now?” She looked at Sana expectantly. 

Shaking her head, Sana nearly laughed at the absurdity of the question given her circumstances. “Not in that way,” she assured. “You think she’s cute, though?” She hoped to prod something out of Jihyo, fishing for compliments. Anything to cheer herself up.

Jihyo poshly shrugged. “I mean, I have eyes,” she retorted. 

So that was a yes, huh? Sana couldn’t help the small smile forming on her lips. 

“Hey, I see exactly what you’re doing,” Jihyo pointed out, jabbing a finger in Sana’s direction. “You’re trying to change the subject.”

Innocently rocking back on her heels, Sana puffed out her cheeks. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” But the smile on her face widened, betraying her. Jihyo narrowed her eyes and Sana giggled. “I’m okay, seriously,” she said. But something compelled her to confide in Jihyo, so she continued. “I found out something about someone,” she admitted. “Something that makes our...friendship...complicated.” 

Jihyo’s brow furrowed. “What other friends do you have besides me and Jeongyeon?” the girl asked, with as serious of a voice she could muster. Sana whined, and Jihyo’s serious face broke out into a relaxed smile. “Sorry, sorry. Continue.” 

“I can’t tell you any specifics,” Sana said, apologetically. She bit her lip, wondering again if not telling anyone was the right decision. Had Mina not wanted Sana to tell anyone because she wanted to get close to Momo in the only way she could? No...Mina wasn’t like that. Was she?

Sana really didn’t know Mina at all. How could she be sure of anything anymore?

“Wanna sit?” Jihyo offered, gesturing to the couch. “You can tell me what’s going on as vaguely as you need to. I’m listening.” She reached out and took Sana’s forearm, gripping it softly and tugging her toward the couch. Sana didn’t put up a fight at all, knowing it would feel good to get this off her chest. 

The two girls sat on opposite ends of the couch. Sana started to explain the situation in the most general way possible. “This person they...lied to me. Well, lied isn’t the right word. They withheld a very important truth.”

Jihyo nodded. “Sometimes hiding something can be dishonest.” 

“I think they just didn’t want me to get upset but, I found out from someone else and it felt like someone jabbed me in the gut, you know?”

Again, Jihyo nodded.

“She should’ve told me!” Sana continued, voice raising slightly. “I would’ve been uncomfortable but we could’ve worked something out. Now, I just don’t know what to do.” She bit her tongue, realizing she had slipped and said “she,” but it was too late. 

“I can’t really help you out there since I don’t know the context but, I’m sorry you’re going through this,” Jihyo replied, sincerely. She reached across the couch and took Sana’s hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “I’m here for you. Jeong is, too.” Her voice was quiet and gentle. 

Slowly, Sana found herself scooching closer to Jihyo until their knees were touching. “Thanks. I didn’t mean to storm out on you guys.” Even though she was mad at Mina, and shouldn’t mind what the girl’s friends thought of her, she couldn’t help but care regardless. She wanted Jeongyeon and Jihyo to think the best of her, even if she wasn’t herself right now. 

“It’s fine.” Jihyo could sense Sana’s bitterness was beginning to diffuse. “I know it’s late but, do you wanna play Smash? Maybe that’ll cheer you up.”

Sana cocked her head, looking at Jihyo as though she’d just spoken in a foreign language. “...smash?” she asked, looking for clarification. 

“Yeah, it’s been awhile since I kicked your ass,” Jihyo replied, cockily. “Lemme grab my Switch.” She stood up and wandered off into her room. A bit terrified, Sana thought about bolting back into Mina’s room and locking the door, not knowing what she’d just gotten herself into. 

  
  


Turns out,  _ Smash  _ was actually really, really fun. Sana laughed melodically as she smashed the buttons on the controller Jihyo had handed her, sending Jihyo’s character flying.

“What the—” Jihyo cried. “You’re literally just button-mashing and you’re  _ beating  _ me?” She leaned closer to the TV, sticking her tongue out of the corner of her mouth in concentration as she attempted to knock Sana’s character off the platform she was on. “Since when have you played as jigglypuff? Have you been secretly practicing?”

“Just trying out something new,” Sana replied, waving her arms around with the controller in hand as if it had an impact on the game. She let out a shout when Jihyo blew her character offscreen without giving her a chance to try to recover.

She’d kind of gotten the hang of the controls, after Jihyo had decimated her in their first match. Though she mostly slammed the attack button repeatedly, at least she wasn’t accidentally jumping over the edge and killing herself anymore. 

After Jihyo made a comeback and won the match, the girl stood up on the couch, wobbling for a moment before regaining her balance. Then she did a little victory dance, as if she’d just scored a goal during a game of soccer or something. Sana pouted at first, huffing loudly, before she beamed up at Jihyo, excited to see the girl so happy. 

In this moment, Sana was very thankful for Mina’s roommate. 

  
  


The first thing Mina did the next morning was check to see if Sana had gotten back to any of her messages. But no, the only texts she’d received was one from Sana’s mom—a simple “how are you doing?” kind of message—and a good morning text from Momo. How could Sana do this to her? Mina had even  _ called _ only for it to go straight to voicemail. 

She at least needed to know more details about this escape room ordeal, or else she really would be in trouble later today. 

Sana on the other hand, decided to sleep in. She had tossed and turned all night, but had managed to drift off eventually. She woke up around 10AM the next day, still a bit groggy. Out of habit, she reached for the phone on Mina’s nightstand and immediately opened it up without thinking. She saw she had 5 text messages from Mina—each one longer and growing in urgency. Clearly the girl was worried and anxious. 

_ Good,  _ Sana thought, pettily. But immediately, she felt bad for thinking that way. A lot of her anger from last night had dissipated after getting some sleep. Now, she felt more sad and miserable than anything. She wasn’t sure which was worse. 

After stretching her arms and yawning loudly, Sana looked more closely at Mina’s messages. The last one was pertaining to an escape room.

_ Shit. _ Sana had forgotten all about that. She’d booked a room for her friends today at a well-reviewed place just outside of town. It had been awhile since they’d all hung out together, and it felt like a well needed reunion. Only, Sana wouldn’t really be there for the reunion at all.

Not wanting to disappoint her friends, Sana decided to respond to Mina. After all, she knew they were all looking forward to today, and she was the one who knew all the details they needed to actually go through with the plan. Mina without Sana’s help would be clueless.

Sana texted Mina the details about the reservation, apologizing for forgetting about it, and telling her to go as planned.

_ Where the hell have you been?  _ Mina replied, almost immediately.  _ You can’t just ignore me like that.  _

Rolling onto her side, Sana sneered as she stared down at the message. She wouldn’t begin an argument over text, though she was tempted. One thing she had learned through her relationship with Momo was that serious conversations always got misconstrued through text. Besides, she might be angry, but her judgement wasn’t completely clouded.  _ We need to talk when you’re back,  _ Sana wrote, ignoring Mina’s question entirely.  _ Let me know when you’re home and we’ll meet in the courtyard at the law school side entrance. _

_ Fine, but can you at least tell me more about Chaeyoung and Tzuyu? Nayeon mentioned they’d be there today and I have no idea who they are. _

Sana sighed. She couldn’t not help Mina out here. For now, she’d set aside her hard feelings, at least until she could talk to Mina in person. Besides, she couldn’t not take this opportunity to gush about her younger friends whom she adored. 

_ I’ve known them both for over two years now. They’ve been dating since high school. They’re super cute!  _ Sana typed, adding some heart emojis for emphasis.  _ Chaeyoung has known Nayeon for a long time because their families are friends. She’s like a younger sister to her.  _

_ What are they both like? _ Mina asked.  _ Just so I know what I’m dealing with.  _

_ Chaeyoung is a fine arts major. Pretty laid back. She can talk about English dramas for hours. Tzuyu is the taller of the two. She’s kind of quiet but can be pretty snarky when she wants to be. She’s like a giant baby, though. Actually, they’re both babies to me.  _ She added a puppy-eyes emoji. 

As soon as she sent the message, she immediately cursed herself for falling back into normal conversation with Mina so easily. Just talking about Chaeyoung and Tzuyu put her in a better mood, and that was  _ annoying  _ when she was meant to still be very, very upset. 

When she saw Mina in person, she had to be blunt with the girl. No sugarcoating or softening the blow. She repeated that mantra over and over in her head throughout the day, as she spent her time studying and getting homework done. 

Mina had been a bundle of nerves last night after Momo left an hour before midnight. She hated being in the dark—not knowing if Sana had lost her phone, or even gotten kidnapped. But there was another possibility too, one that was much more realistic, though Mina hated to admit it. Sana could just be ignoring her because she was mad about something—and that something could only be one thing. 

Sana had found out about her crush on Momo, somehow.

Jihyo and Jeongyeon had probably made some joke about it—goddammit. Of course they would. Laying face down in Sana’s bed, Mina didn’t wanna move. She would rather stay in bed all day than go out with a group of strangers, then get home only to be yelled at by Sana. 

She deserved it, of course. Mina should’ve come clean from the beginning. It would’ve been awkward but it would’ve been better than this. This humiliation. This guilt. 

“Stupid, stupid, stupid,” Mina mumbled into Sana’s pillow. She inhaled slowly, taking in the scent of Momo’s shampoo which still lingered on the fabric. 

But then, Sana had finally gotten back to her about the escape room, and even used emojis when talking about Chaeyoung and Tzuyu, so maybe things weren’t as bad as Mina expected after all. God, Sana was so hard to read sometimes. 

Mina was probably just being paranoid. After all, her friends hadn’t brought up Momo in a while. What were the odds they would bring the girl up while Sana was in Mina’s place…

This was the mantra Mina repeated in her own head as she got ready for the escape room. She elected to wear one of Sana’s tracksuits, finding her white one to be cute and comfy. Looking at Sana’s floor length mirror one final time, Mina nodded at herself in satisfaction before exiting the room. She wouldn’t let her fear of talking to Sana later weigh heavy on her the entire day. 

Nayeon offered to drive her, Momo and Mina to the escape room. They’d be picking up Chaeyoung and Tzuyu on the way, as neither one of them had cars, apparently. 

As the girls shuffled into Nayeon’s car, Momo playfully pushed Mina out of the way so she could claim shotgun. Mina huffed, suppressing a giggle as Momo stuck out her tongue at her and opened the passenger side door. 

Mina wordlessly got into the backseat, leaning her head against the window as Nayeon changed the radio station an obnoxious amount of times, as if she couldn’t make up her mind, before settling on a pop station she had already shuffled past once before.

Ever since the switch had happened, Mina’d been trying to not live in her head so much anymore. It seemed as though whenever she got quiet, either Momo or Nayeon would ask if something was the matter. Clearly they weren’t used to Sana’s silence.

It was harder than Mina imagined—saying whatever was on her mind. But it became easier the more she tried to think in this way. Besides, it was kind of fun, especially with Nayeon and Momo’s outwardly loud personalities. Mina smiled from the backseat as the two girls in front of her spoke about their last time in an escape room, last year. 

As Nayeon pulled up to the dorms on the other side of campus for underclassmen, Mina moved over as much as she could to make space for the other girls. 

The backdoor to Mina’s right opened, and immediately a girl she recognized from Momo’s instagram ducked her head inside and climbed in beside Mina. “Hey!” she greeted everyone. It was Chaeyoung, based on Sana’s quick descriptions.

A second later, Tzuyu got in and Mina immediately noticed how tall the girl was in comparison to her girlfriend. “Hello,” she murmured, politely. 

Nayeon yelled at the girls to buckle up before accelerating out of the parking lot. 

  
  
  


Mina was slightly terrified by the idea of the escape room. She had never done one before but the thought of being locked in a room for an hour made her anxious. Especially with a bunch of acquaintances—if you could call them that—and her crush she was desperately trying to  _ not  _ be crushing on.

As if by instinct, she clung onto Momo as they entered the building. Momo seemed surprised by her sudden clinginess, but she didn’t hesitate to hold her back. Meanwhile, Nayeon was even more bubbly than normal, in good spirits with Chaeyoung, who she loved to tease, and Tzuyu, who loved to tease her. 

“It’s under your name, right?” Momo murmured, softly into Mina’s ear, when she hesitated to move forward to talk to the employee at the front desk who greeted them enthusiastically.

As Nayeon bounced around like a little kid, looking at the details in the lobby with Chaeyoung in toe, Mina shuffled forward to check in. 

“We have a reservation here in 15 minutes for the jungle room.” 

“Ah yes, Miss Minatozaki Sana?” The employee looked up from his computer screen at Mina’s hesitation, making eye contact with the girl. 

“Yes,” Mina replied. For some reason, claiming Sana’s full name only made the whole body switch situation seem more permanent. She didn’t like it. 

“Great. I’ll need all 5 of you to fill out a waiver before you start. Then we’ll get you in there shortly!”

“You nervous?” Chaeyoung asked, as she stood next to Mina filling out a waiver on a mounted iPad. 

“Is it that obvious?” Mina said, looking at the girl sheepishly. 

Chaeyoung just chuckled, not taking her eyes off the iPad. “It’ll be fine. We haven’t not been able to escape a room yet.”

So the group of them had done an escape room before? It only made Mina feel more out of place with her lack of experience. 

“A jungle theme can’t be that scary, anyway,” Tzuyu noted, moving to step beside Chaeyoung as she had already finished filling out her waiver. “It’ll be like Jumanji or something.”

Even the movie Jumanji scared Mina, so that didn’t help one bit. She flashed back to her childhood, seeing the movie for the first time with her parents and brother and developing an irrational fear of board games afterward. 

Quickly rushing to fill out the waiver with the basic information of Sana’s that Mina made sure to memorize, she joined the rest of the girls in front of the entrance to the jungle-themed room. 

Momo linked an arm with her while Nayeon took another. “I’m gonna lead the team to victory,” Nayeon announced to the group, while giving Mina a playful grin. The smile eased Mina’s fears slightly. She felt herself relax as she exhaled. 

“I’m always the most valuable member of the team, actually,” Momo corrected, challenging Nayeon.

“Tzuyu and I always carry your sorry asses every time,” Chaeyoung muttered. Momo and Nayeon glared at the girl in offense and Tzuyu giggled at the sight. 

“It’s true,” Tzuyu agreed. “You guys are just along for the ride. We’ll pick up the slack as usual.”

Mina smiled at the snarkiness of the comment. Chaeyoung and Tzuyu clearly loved to tease their older friends. For a moment, the dread of the escape room was beginning to disappear..that is until their guide stepped in front of them and introduced himself.

_ It’s just a giant, interactive puzzle. You love puzzles _ , Mina assured herself. 

She silently cursed herself for not going with Jihyo and Jeongyeon to an escape room last year when they had practically begged her to come. She would’ve had more experience and wouldn’t be so nervous now. 

As their guide ushered them inside the room, Mina hesitated a moment, staring at the pitch black opening the door revealed with wide eyes. She felt a tug at her arm, and looked up to see Momo’s dopey smile aimed at her. The girl pulled her forward, holding onto her arm even more tightly. The grip was more reassuring than anything. 

Suddenly, Mina felt like things wouldn’t be so bad, afterall. 

The introduction to the room made Mina jump more than once, and Nayeon, who was normally the scaredy cat of the group, all bark and no bite, jumped along with her. 

To Mina’s dismay, the first room was nearly pitch black. The two girls grabbed each other in the dark, searching for some sense of familiarity in the face of the sinister sounding challenge. Solve the puzzles. Escape the room. Easy enough, right? 

Momo giggled at their reactions, giving Nayeon a light kick to the back of the legs before she handed both Mina and Nayeon the “torches” provided for the challenge. They were simply electronic, and barely gave off any light. 

“These lights suck,” Nayeon murmured, holding one of them up to a locked chest on the ground. “I can barely see anything. As if escaping wasn’t hard enough already…”

“It’s all part of the challenge,” Tzuyu replied. Her and Chaeyoung had already moved to the other side of the room, scoping out a door that clearly needed to be opened. “Looks like there’s more than one room we need to get through. This one is too empty for the whole game to take place here.”

More rooms? One was bad enough. Mina squeezed her eyes shut for a moment and took a breath. When she was done, she looked up to see a bright red timer reading that they had 58 minutes left to escape. As the numbers counted down, Mina’s grip around the fake torch tightened. That competitive nature of hers was beginning to surface. 

Like a girl possessed, she moved forward and joined Chaeyoung, looking at a box with a number lock. As Mina focused on the task at hand, her nerves died out. In her mind all she could think was win, win,  _ win _ . 

  
  
  


The group moved onto the second room after Mina figured out how to open the door with Tzuyu’s help. The second room was much larger than the first one, and featured many more puzzles. Mina practically ran into the next room, yelling at the rest of the girls to hurry. They had 35 minutes left. 

Momo watched Mina rush around the room with a new fervor with an amused twinkle in her eye. Sana loved escape rooms, sure, but she normally wasn’t as focused as she was now. In the past, she would skip around from puzzle to puzzle, giving up easily when she couldn’t figure one out. Now, she wouldn’t move until she completed the one at hand. 

“Momo, help me read this!” 

“Nayeon, hold your light over here!”

“Rotate that counterclockwise two more times! No, no, the other way!”

“Chaeyoung, you’re moving too slow!”

_ She’s being bossy _ , Momo thought. Not in a bad way, though. In an endearing kind that made everyone else in the room do as she said. After all, she was right. In fact, between her, Chaeyoung and Tzuyu, they were able to fly through each puzzle almost without Momo and Nayeon’s help entirely.

Standing off to the side, watching the three girls work on a magnetic puzzle, Momo glanced over at Nayeon, who was simply holding her light up in support. Nayeon’s eyes were on Mina, watching the girl with an eyebrow raised. Clearly Nayeon noticed the girl’s strange behavior as well. What Momo didn’t see is the small smile spreading on Nayeon’s face, and something new and glowing dancing behind her eyes. 

Nayeon looked on with a strange sense of pride and amusement. Sana’s giggly and hyperactive personality was replaced with one of silent assertiveness. The girl before her was determined, and cared more about solving the puzzles in front of her than she did about having fun. It was  _ different _ . 

Eventually, there was a satisfying click and a sliding door opened. 

“Another room?” Nayeon whined. 

“Come on,” Chaeyoung replied, linking arms with her older friend and pulling the girl into the last room. Momo, Tzuyu and Mina had already raced inside. 

  
  


The girls ended up escaping with 5 minutes to spare. High fives were given all around and Mina had a huge smile on her face—the rush of victory coursing through her. Spilling out into the foyer, the girls squished together for a picture, each holding goofy jungle-themed props declaring to the world that they had escaped successfully. 

“Who’s down for a late lunch?” Momo asked, looking at all her friends as they headed toward the exit. Automatically, her hand found Mina’s, intertwining their fingers together. The simple gesture always took Mina off guard, and the gesture today was no exception. Mina hesitated a moment before squeezing back, letting her fingers—Sana’s fingers—fit together with Momo’s perfectly.

  
  


Sana’s friends were fun. Mina found herself laughing at their antics. Poking fun at Momo and Nayeon and shading them along with Chaeyoung and Tzuyu. In the back of her mind, Mina wondered if she were here as herself, if Sana’s friends would even like her. Would she fit in just as well if she weren’t wearing the face of their friend like an ill fitting mask?

When she wished Chaeyoung and Tzuyu goodbye, cooing as the two shyly held hands as they walked back to their dorm building, Mina was stabbed with a tinge of sadness somewhere in her chest. The thought of not seeing any of these girls again, besides Momo in class, stirred something like bitterness inside her. 

What reason would she have to see them? They didn’t even know she existed as an individual. Nayeon...Nayeon would be a stranger to her when this was over. And Momo...Momo wouldn’t have her arm hung around her waist so casually as she did now.

She did miss Jeongyeon and Jihyo, though. She missed the way she could talk to Jeongyeon about anything, even her silliest of worries, without fear of being judged. And Jihyo, always sensible and looking out for her. Making sure she didn’t skip meals or overwork herself. The thought of crawling back into their familiar and engulfing arms made Mina’s heart ache even more.

The saying “you don’t know what you have until it’s gone _ ” _ couldn’t be more cliche yet apparent to Mina than it was now. 

As Mina stumbled along with Momo and Nayeon back to Sana’s apartment, the urge to check in to see if Sana had texted her any more information about what was going on forced her to slip away to the bathroom.

The moment she was out of earshot, Nayeon turned to Momo with an eyebrow raised. “Sana’s being weird. She’s being weird, right?”

Momo looked in the direction of the bathroom with pursed lips and slight worry lines on her face. She simply hummed in agreement, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in her stomach that something was  _ wrong.  _

But Sana was still smiling and laughing—though it wasn’t the same exact smile and laughter Momo was used to. That had to count for something, right? 

To Mina’s dismay, she’d received no texts from Sana. She texted the girl saying to meet up in an hour, feeling sick to her stomach as she did so. 

Exiting the bathroom, Mina walked back out into the kitchen to see that Momo and Nayeon had barely moved from the spots they were standing minutes ago. Their voices immediately hushed as Mina drew near, and it became obvious she was the subject of their conversation. Mina imagined they both had their theories about what was happening to Sana, but Mina knew they were nowhere close to the truth. After all, who would guess their friend had switched bodies with someone simply because they were acting strangely?

Mina managed to get rid of Momo not long after. The excuse was homework—which in all fairness, Mina really did have a lot of. Momo pouted, but agreed. She lingered in the kitchen, clearly waiting for something before she left. Mina was beginning to recognize this look—this look of waiting for her to act like  _ Sana.  _ Momo simply expected the affection that she was always given and had no reason to think she wouldn’t be given it.

And Mina felt bad. She felt bad she couldn’t automatically become the girl Momo adored. She felt bad that, despite her best efforts, her personality couldn’t be molded into what Momo needed. No matter how long Mina was stuck like this, she realized, she would just be a ghost of the girl Momo loved. Going through the motions clumsily. Learning things much too late. Nothing more. 

Mina wandered over to the girl and shyly placed a kiss on Momo’s cheek, leaning up on her tiptoes to do so. Her lips burned once again, just barely touching Momo’s face, which was soft and inviting. 

Momo seemed content, but not fully satisfied. Yet, it was enough for now. She responded with a quick kiss to Mina’s cheek—like lightning—and a cheeky grin, before she slipped out the door. As the door shut, Mina heard sounds of disgust from behind her, knowing it was Nayeon acting childish as usual. 

For some reason, the thought of Nayeon seeing her and Momo’s exchange made her feel all the more shy. 

“You were pretty intense back there. At the escape room, I mean,” Nayeon replied. Mina turned around to see the girl was leaning against the kitchen counter with her arms crossed. 

Mina shrugged, wondering how exactly Sana acted when they’d previously done escape rooms. “I just like to win,” was all she offered. Nayeon’s comment made her a bit worried though—as she could tell Sana’s roommate was definitely suspicious of her. Mina could imagine Nayeon being suspicious meant the girl would ask more questions and hover more, which was something Mina did not need right now. 

Feeling the need to escape to Sana’s room to avoid more questioning, Mina brushed past Nayeon, just close enough so that their shoulders nearly touched, and a strange sound erupted from the other girl’s throat. 

Turning back to get a look at Sana’s roommate, Mina could tell the girl was thrown off about something based on the redness of her face. She didn’t stick around to ask what was the matter, however. 

  
  


Sana left Mina’s apartment a little earlier than necessary to make it to the designated meet up spot on time. She wanted the fresh air to clear her head. Managing to distract herself for most of the day with catching up on class readings and assignments, she felt mostly okay. But every moment she had a spare minute to daydream, her mind wandered to Mina. Mina getting to do something fun she had planned with her friends and girlfriend. Something that was supposed to be  _ hers.  _

Sana was  _ angry _ at the universe _.  _ She couldn’t help it, after all. It put her into this mess. 

_ If you’re trying to teach me some lesson about how I should be grateful for what I have, consider it a lesson learned,  _ Sana internalized—to no one in particular. “Do you hear me, universe? Or God? Whatever the hell did this to me? I learned my lesson, okay? I just want my life back!” 

Mumbling to herself, she earned a few dirty looks from other students walking by, but she paid them no mind. Currently, she was using Mina’s airpods, listening to the girl’s liked songs playlist on Spotify. Sure, she wasn’t supposed to snoop, but Sana didn’t consider this snooping. It was just music, after all. Besides, what Mina didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her.

Honestly, part of Sana wanted to get to know Mina better too, especially after learning the girl had kept her crush a secret from Sana this entire time. Listening to the girl’s music library seemed like a decent way to figure out who the girl really was and if she could be trusted. It was filled with a lot of r&b, as Mina had mentioned she liked on the first night of their switch. There was also some pop, even a bit of rap. 

Internally, Sana began to list out in her head what she did know about Mina. It wasn’t a long list, but based on her time spent with the girl’s friends, she had managed to discover a few things. 

Mina was Jeongyeon’s first love and first loss. And now, despite the odds, they had managed to remain friends. Mina was Jihyo’s rock. When Jihyo got caught up in the bad thoughts in her own head, Mina could clear her mind completely.

For Jeongyeon and Jihyo, it seemed Mina was something strong yet fragile for them to protect. Mina could be strong in her convictions—which meant she would be considerably hard on herself like Jihyo was. Maybe she wouldn’t express her worries as much, but that didn’t mean they didn’t weigh heavy on her. That was why, perhaps, Jihyo and Jeongyeon had made dinner for Mina the night before. 

Though Mina wasn’t verbalizing her exhaustion, it seemed Jeongyeon and Jihyo could sense it. Could they sense Sana’s now, too? Did they see the burden weighing so heavily on her now, like an invisible paper weight on her chest? 

Finally, she reached the small courtyard on the side of the Law School where she’d be meeting Mina shortly. She took out the girl’s airpods and put them away. On a weekend, this was a perfect place to meet. No one went through this entrance even on a weekday because it was so out of the way. 

Mina scurried over a few minutes later, looking hesitant and uncomfortable. She ducked her head as she approached, barely making eye contact with Sana. The air between the girls was instantly tense, and both girls were well aware of the fact. 

“How long?” Sana asked, not even bothering to greet the other girl. Her voice was scarily steady and unwavering. 

“What?”

“How long have you liked Momo?”

Mina took a shaky breath, pulling on the sleeves of Sana’s tracksuit with her hands anxiously. There was no use in denying it at this point. Sana knew the truth, and how she found out didn’t matter. “Years. Longer than you’ve known her.” Her voice came out more strained and more broken than she meant it to. She felt pathetic.

Swallowing, Sana crossed her arms. “And you didn’t think to tell me? When I told you to keep her happy and do what she wanted?” 

“Sana, I—“

“You said you didn’t want us to tell anyone about what happened because they might not believe us, or worse, they did and we ended up under a microscope and scalpel. But I’m starting to think you had ulterior motives.” Her chin jutted out at Mina, accusingly.

Mina croaked out a surprised and offended laugh. “You think I did this because I wanted to be with Momo?”

“I don’t know, Mina.  _ You  _ tell  _ me.  _ Why else would you not tell me the truth?”

“I didn’t want to tell you because I knew it’d make you upset,” Mina insisted. “The crush isn’t anything serious, I just...admire her dancing. It’s died down over the years.”

Sana rubbed her temples for a moment, closing her eyes and then reopening them again. Sana looked  _ scary,  _ and Mina couldn’t help but wonder if this is what she looked like when she was angry. “What have you done with her?”

Did Sana even wanna know? 

Mina’s eyes widened and she stepped forward holding up her hands. “I’ve been respectful toward you both,” she assured. “We haven’t—I haven’t—done anything.”

_ Except for the kiss _ , Mina screamed at herself internally, but she couldn’t bring her mouth to form those words. Not when Sana was looking at her like she was the enemy.

“I told you to go along with her, and you really didn’t take advantage of that?” Sana asked. Her anger was starting to grow tiring. 

Mina shook her head violently, curling her hands into fists. She didn’t like the way Sana was looking at her—so unlike the friendly smile she’d always seen Sana sporting before. “It would feel too wrong. I don’t want to feel like I’m coming between you two. Whether you believe me or not, I’ve been keeping my distance as much as possible.  Besides, even when I pretend to be you, it’s not enough for her,” Mina explained, voice strained and face red. She couldn’t look Sana in the eye. “She knows something’s wrong. I’m running out of excuses to keep her content…”

Sana let out something like a bitter laugh. “I guess I should be relieved,” she mumbled. 

Now was the perfect time to launch into the idea Mina had thought about on the way over, and though it pained her to even fathom, it seemed to be the best option. “What if I tell Momo I need a break?” Mina suggested, quietly. “That way I won’t have to keep disappointing her, and I won’t make you uncomfortable. Just until we switch back.”

It was exactly what Sana wanted, and yet, as soon as Mina said it out loud she recoiled. Momo would be confused and destroyed if Mina did that. After all, Sana and Momo’s relationship had been going so well. They got into little fights here and there, but nothing too heated. Though Momo would often sulk and hide when she was upset, Sana always made sure to find her regardless and force her to communicate. Once they sat down and talked things out, everything was okay.

But this...this might shatter Momo completely. 

“But  _ I _ don’t want to take a break,” Sana snapped. “I love Momo, and that hasn’t changed!”

Sana took a shaky breath, trying to collect herself. “If Momo and I take a break, there’s a chance she might want to break up with me for good.” Her voice was much quieter now. She was genuinely afraid of that possibility. Afraid that her relationship would fall apart while she was powerless to do anything about it. “Whatever happens, Mina, I won’t…” she choked up, as her jaw suddenly grew heavy and numb. “I won’t let you lose her.” 

“What do you want me to do then, Sana?” Mina retorted, clearly growing frustrated with the girl. “You want me to stay away from her cause I have a crush on her, right? But if I keep my distance, you’re not content either!”

“I don’t know what I want you to do either,” Sana admitted, voice finally breaking. “This is so unfair.” She hung her head, holding back a sob. “I just miss her so much. When she looked at me the other night during your dance class, it was so...void. There was no history behind it. No love.”

Mina’s stomach twisted. The look Sana was describing—it was the look Mina received from Momo whenever she saw her after all these years. Funny how it was enough to make Sana break. 

“You really haven’t found anything in your research?” Sana asked. When Mina shook her head, she groaned. “Nothing? How can there be  _ nothing _ ?” Her voice was loud and shrill again. It made Mina grit her teeth. 

Shaking her head helplessly, Mina shrugged. “It seems like this has never actually happened to anyone before, and if it has, it was never recorded.”

“Can’t we just tell our friends, then?” Sana begged. “That might lift some of the burden—”

“—no!” Mina interrupted sternly, cutting Sana off. “I know it’s hard but, we can’t tell anyone.”

Sana took a step toward Mina, getting in her face. They were only inches apart now. “Why not? What are you so afraid of?”

Mina stared back, refusing to back down. It had been a gut feeling originally that telling her friends was a bad idea, although now a part of her was starting to regret the decision. Especially now that she wasn’t sure when they would switch back, if  _ ever _ . But in this moment, feeling cornered by Sana, Mina’s ego wouldn’t let her admit that. 

So she said something she would regret later.

“Do you think Momo would forgive you now, if you told her what happened? That you haven’t been yourself for four days?” Mina’s voice was low, but dangerous. She was trying to make Sana afraid, and it was working.

Sana’s eyes widened as she stepped back, dropping her eyes. Maybe Mina was right. Momo might hate her for not telling her the truth from the start. For deceiving her. 

“She wouldn’t hate me…” Sana’s voice trailed off, and Mina could sense the uncertainty in it. The girl took another step away. “I never should’ve fucking listened to you. I should’ve just told her from the beginning, like I wanted to.” 

“Maybe,” Mina admitted. “But now it might be too late.” 

The words hung heavy in the air. Ugly, and twisted.

The sound of laughter in the distance put both girls on edge. Other students were coming. The girls looked at each other once again, and there was anger and sadness reflected in both of their eyes. 

“Just—don’t get too close to her,” Sana begged. “Give her just enough to be okay.”

It was vague, but Mina knew what the girl meant. She nodded. 

Sana sighed, a bit relieved that that was all out in the open. She began to walk back toward the dorms, feeling the need to be alone once again. 

“Sana,” Mina called. “Don’t ignore me again, even if you’re angry.” This time it was her turn to beg.

“I won’t,” Sana replied. Though she didn’t turn around. 

Mina watched her go before turning on her heel to head to the library to do some more research. 

After Mina walked away, the doors to the Law School opened. Jihyo emerged from inside, looking in the direction her roommate had gone. She had been about to leave the building when she spotted the two girls from behind the tinted glass of the side door. Her curiousness got the better of her, and she hid just out of sight, craning her neck to try to make out anything they were saying. It was hard to hear, but both of their voices were loud enough that she could make out some exchanges. Most of what she heard, she didn’t understand. 

But after watching them closely, and putting together the pieces, she could guess what was going on. 

She immediately called Jeongyeon, not even bothering to text the girl. 

After three rings, her friend picked up. “What?” Jeongyeon muttered grumpily on the line. She never liked to be called, and always preferred texting as a means of communication between her and her friends. 

“I overheard a conversation between Mina and Sana—“

“What do you mean you overheard?” Jeongyeon asked, sounding suspicious.

“I saw the two of them talking on campus and just happened to overhear some of what they were saying—“

“Oh, so you were eavesdropping?” Jihyo could practically feel Jeongyeon’s smugness through the phone. 

“I wasn’t going to,” Jihyo snapped, “but it looked like they were fighting and I couldn’t help myself…”

The grogginess behind Jeongyeon’s tone immediately disappeared. “Fighting?” she asked, interest piqued. 

Jihyo bit her lip. “I don’t think the girl that came back from class last night was Mina.”

There was silence on the line for a moment before Jeongyeon said: “What the fuck are you talking about?”

“Mina was talking like she was the one in a relationship with Momo, not Sana.”

“...I think college finally broke you.”

Jihyo huffed with frustration. “Mina didn’t seem like herself. Neither did Sana.”

“And? Mina was probably just overwhelmed by talking to another pretty girl, nothing new. I mean, you heard her talking about Sana last night...”

“Exactly!” Jihyo exclaimed. “It didn’t make sense. I don’t think Mina is actually our Mina anymore.”

“God, I’m hanging up—“

“You haven’t noticed her acting a little off?” Jihyo said. 

Jeongyeon hesitated, and that hesitation was enough. Jihyo jumped on it.

“What if Sana and Mina switched bodies?” Jihyo proposed. “I know it’s crazy but, if you heard what I heard...you might think differently.”

There was a long, drawn out sigh. “What if they were just trying to prank you because they knew you were watching?”

“They both didn’t see me,” Jihyo assured. “And besides, they were really upset. That wasn’t acting. And why would they prank me like that?”

“Pranks have no bounds now,” Jeongyeon added. “People do the weirdest and stupidest shit all the time. And besides, what you’re saying isn’t possible.”

Jihyo exhaled loudly, deciding to give up. “I’m going to get to the bottom of this,” she assured. “You’ll see.” She said a quick goodbye before hanging up the phone. She slipped it into her purse before she dashed off in the direction she’d seen  _ Mina  _ go. 


	4. i'm in love without you

“Mina!” a voice called, loud and boisterous. Sana recognized it immediately.

Park Jihyo. 

She let out a long sigh, turning around slowly to get a view of Mina’s friend, whose blonde hair bounced along her shoulders as she ran up to her. 

“Why are you running?” Sana asked, confused as to why the girl would put in so much effort to catch her when they’d seen each other quite a lot recently.

“I wanted to catch you before we got home,” Jihyo explained. Surprisingly, she wasn’t even breaking a sweat, despite having ran nearly halfway across campus looking like a fool. “Walk with me,” she commanded, taking Sana by the arm and giving the girl no other choice.

Jihyo couldn’t help but feel there was no reason to beat around the bush. “I saw you talking with Sana,” she began.

Sana immediately stopped walking, catching Jihyo off guard and pulling her backward, nearly making her trip on her own feet. 

“You were fighting…” Jihyo continued, looking at the girl knowingly.

Looking over at Mina’s roommate, Sana plastered a smile on her face—one she had mastered over the years to mask her true feelings. She wasn’t sure if it suited Mina’s face, though. “It was nothing,” Sana assured. “We just have different opinions on the surprise party. Where it’s gonna be held. What the theme will be.”

“Sana must trust you a lot then to help plan her girlfriend’s party,” Jihyo said. She searched the other girl’s face for any cracks in the exterior. Sure enough, Sana’s lips were twitching—her smile threatening to fall off her face at any moment. “I was so sure Sana would have every bit of it planned out already herself. She seems like that kind of person, you know? I wonder why she needs the help?”

In reality, Jihyo was right. Sana would have planned everything for Momo on her own, from the guests, to the location, to the decorations. “She just wants to make sure it’s as well planned out as possible,” Sana explained, smoothly slipping out a believable lie. “The more people involved, the better the surprise.”

“Maybe,” Jihyo supposed. “But that also makes it harder to keep the secret.” There was a pause. “Does your girlfriend even like surprises?”

“She’s really into that kind of thing, actually,” Sana replied, fondly reflecting on Momo’s child-like excitement. Without even realizing it, a smile was forming on her lips at the thought of Momo being bombarded with cheers from friends and loved ones. Maybe a surprise party wasn’t a bad idea, after all.

“Momo does seem like that type, I’m not surprised,” Jihyo mused, with an eyebrow raised. Her eyes remained fixed on Sana—all-knowing. “You must miss her a lot. Don’t you, Sana?” 

Sana skidded to a halt rather clumsily, but this time Jihyo was prepared for it. Jihyo’s grip on Sana’s arm increased just enough to make sure the girl didn’t take off running. 

“Aha!” Jihyo exclaimed, looking at Sana with accusatory eyes. “I knew it!”

Sana’s mouth opened and closed quickly, searching for an excuse to get Jihyo to stop looking at her like that. “What?” she managed to spit out. “Why are you calling me—”

“Stop playing coy,” Jihyo replied. “I happened to hear most of your conversation with Mina earlier, and I put two and two together. I mean, you two are nothing alike, so it was pretty clear something was going on.” 

There was a silent beat. Sana ran through her limited options in her mind. She could deny Jihyo and try to make her sound crazy, _or_ she could just tell Jihyo the truth. 

Mina had warned Sana about telling anyone, but she never said what to do if someone figured it out on their own. Besides, Sana didn’t really care if Jihyo got mad at Mina for hiding this from her, at this point. 

“You really believe I’m not Mina?” Sana asked in a hushed tone. Her eyebrows raised in surprise. 

Jihyo looked at her carefully again, finally letting go of her arm. “It’s weird. You look just like her and sound like her but, after hearing what you both were saying, it couldn’t be more obvious.”

All of the frustration and helplessness Sana had been feeling fell off her shoulders. She threw herself at Jihyo, pulling her into a tight hug. Jihyo let out a nervous laugh, letting Sana give her a one-sided hug before she hesitantly returned it. 

In her arms, Jihyo could feel Sana trembling, ever so slightly. 

“You don’t know what a relief it is for someone to actually see _me_ ,” Sana mumbled into Jihyo’s shoulder. 

“How long have you been like this?” Jihyo asked, softly. She shot a warning glance to a curious student passing by and the guy quickly scurried past them. 

“Only a few days.” Sana hugged the girl more tightly, not wanting to let go. “But it’s felt much longer than that.” 

Jihyo’s brow furrowed. “The night you came back to the apartment with Sana—er, Mina, I guess...was that the first night?” 

Sana hummed, and Jihyo pursed her lips. “That explains it. How did it happen?”

Letting Jihyo go, Sana stepped back and reached for Jihyo’s hand once again. “It’s actually not that long of a story, but let’s talk about it back at the apartment,” Sana suggested.

The two girls walked back together, with Sana not letting go of Jihyo’s hand the entire time. 

  
  
  


Mina hadn’t felt so physically sick from drama in a long time. As she walked back to the library in silence, she dragged her feet, knowing she was mostly to blame for the tense situation. 

It wasn’t that she wanted to be the bad guy, but she couldn’t stand the way Sana was looking at her. The way she had the guts to accuse Mina of milking the situation in her favor, as if she had wanted any of this. 

She had been respectful and kept her boundaries...mostly. It was clear Momo and Sana had a very physical relationship. Had she not kissed Momo under the tree that day, Sana’s girlfriend would have clearly been confused and upset. 

Besides, Sana couldn’t possibly understand that this was hard for Mina, too, in more ways than one. She’d be lying if she said the thought of taking advantage of the situation hadn’t crossed her mind. For years, she had desperately wanted nothing more than to be loved by Momo. But Mina wasn’t what Momo wanted. Mina would _never_ be what Momo wanted, no matter how long she was stuck like this. That thought was more heartbreaking than anything

As she pushed open the large glass door of the library, she thought to herself what it was like to almost be in love with Jeongyeon. Warm. Reassuring. _Safe_. But the feelings she was searching for that were missing during their relationship—the indescribable, fiery spark—she had only found in the thought of Momo. 

The day Jeongyeon and her had broken up—a Saturday night, laying on Mina’s bed, side by side—Jeongyeon had said something to Mina that had resonated with her even to this day. 

“You’re in love with the idea of someone,” Jeongyeon had stated. There wasn’t bitterness in her tone, only sadness. Though she was the one being dumped, she felt bad for her girlfriend. “And I can never compete with that. I’m not sure if anyone can.” 

Mina wanted to argue, to tell Jeongyeon she was enough and _more._ But that would be a lie meant to stop this moment from totally crushing Jeongyeon’s ego. And she couldn’t lie to Jeongyeon, not anymore.

So she simply leaned into Jeongyeon and cried, because she knew the girl was right. Mina’s love for Momo felt like a curse from that moment on. 

But, over the past few days, Mina had to admit, being in a “relationship” with Momo wasn’t what she had thought it would be. Not necessarily in a bad way, but it was different. It was like this was the closure she needed to let Momo go, and just accept she wasn’t meant to be with her.

After all, there was no point clinging to the hope of impossible, fantastical ghosts. 

That was why Sana’s accusatory glare earlier had gotten under Mina’s skin even more. The girl didn’t realize that Mina’s _crush_ on Momo was beginning to fade. 

Not because dating Momo wasn’t what Mina had imagined—on the contrary, Momo was everything Mina had hoped for in a girlfriend and more—but because Mina herself just wasn’t a good fit. It was clear that Sana and Momo fit together so perfectly it was sickening. Who was Mina to try to come between them when they were happy?

Mina would never do that, and the fact that Sana thought Mina might only made her all the more angry.

Sana didn’t know her at all. 

She would do some more research today on the topic—but she knew, somewhere deep down, that her efforts would be unfruitful once again. 

  
  


“I’m starting to think this is fate, running into you like this.”

There was Nayeon, interrupting Mina’s research with a sly grin on her face. She set her bag down on the table in front of Mina, smile growing bigger as she observed the girl’s unamused expression.

“Don’t you have better things to be doing on a Saturday?” Mina asked, looking back down at the journal in front of her, not even bothering to hide it from Sana’s nosey roommate this time. 

Nayeon pretended to think hard for a moment, before she pouted her lips slightly. “Not really,” she admitted. When Mina huffed, she added: “I’m just getting a few productive hours in before Jennie’s party tonight. Are you still going?”

Mina opened her mouth, pondering for a moment what to say. Even she had been invited to Jennie’s party off campus—through a mutual friend of theirs, Lisa—but she had no intention of going. It wasn’t that she didn’t like to party, she was often just too busy. But there was no way in hell she wanted to go, having to play pretend around an even larger audience. 

“You forgot about it, didn’t you?” Nayeon replied, shaking her head and clicking her tongue at Mina. “Typical.” 

“I need to see if Momo still wants to go,” Mina muttered. “If she’s not going, I won’t either.” She prayed Momo was feeling too tired to move tonight, or she had a ton of homework to get done...

There was a twinkle in Nayeon’s eye as she looked at Mina mischievously. “That’s never stopped you before.” 

There was a story there, somewhere. A memory from Sana’s past that Mina would never know. Though Mina was curious, she couldn’t ask. 

Shifting back in her seat, Mina held Nayeon’s gaze for a moment before she looked away. 

After Nayeon finished unpacking all her things and opened her laptop, Mina expected to hear the clacking of her keyboard. Instead, there was hesitation, and Mina couldn’t help but look up to see what Nayeon was doing. The girl was looking around with shifting eyes. Eventually, she subtly twisted her back to get a glimpse of the library behind her, pretending to stretch. 

“What are you looking for?” Mina asked, letting her chin rest in her hands. She wondered why she was so curious, and blamed it on Nayeon’s fidgeting being distracting. 

Nayeon’s eyes flew to her computer screen, clearly embarrassed to be caught in the act. “Uh, nothing. Just someone I normally see here.” There was a pause. “She hasn’t been here recently.” There was disappointment in her tone. 

Bracing herself for a slew of questions and teasing remarks, Nayeon leaned back against the wooden library chair. But instead, she was only met with an interested hum. Nayeon glanced up, brushing a piece of hair that had fallen into her face behind her ear, to get a look at the girl across from her. 

Mina was watching Nayeon with an eyebrow raised. Having often come to this floor of the library herself, she tried to imagine which regular Nayeon was looking for. _A crush, perhaps?_ she thought to herself. 

She focused her attention back down on the text in front of her, all the while wondering why the thought of Nayeon’s possible crush didn’t sit well in her stomach. 

  
  
  


“So all you did was hit your heads together?” Jihyo asked, completely mystified. She was sitting across from Sana at the kitchen table, staring at the girl incredulously. 

Nodding dramatically, Sana sighed and propped her cheek up with her hand. 

“That makes no sense. There has to be some reason. Some old witch set out to teach you two a lesson, or wishing on a comet—”

Sana’s eyes lit up. She leaned forward, looking at Jihyo curiously. “You don’t think Mina...wished for this, do you?”

Jihyo crossed her arms and furrowed her brow. “No,” she replied, adamantly. Instantly her face darkened similarly to how Mina’s face had earlier today during their conversation. “Absolutely not.”

“But she likes Momo…” Sana said, quietly. She looked down at her own folded hands, twiddling her thumbs. Feeling Jihyo’s narrowed eyes on her, Sana couldn’t help but feel guilty for accusing Mina again. She had to be careful and remember that Jihyo was Mina’s best friend. Of course she would always defend the girl in question. 

Jihyo shifted on her stool, suddenly looking a bit uncomfortable. “Yeah. But not enough to do anything like this. She’s not some evil-mastermind.” Reaching across the table and placing one of her hands on Sana’s, Jihyo gave the girl a bit of reassurance. “I know this all must be scary and frustrating to you. And right now, it may seem like Mina’s your enemy, but she’s not. She means well. She’s a good person.” 

Sana nodded, knowing Jihyo was right. 

“You trust me, don’t you?” Jihyo asked her. “I know we don’t know each other well, but I haven’t given you a reason to doubt me yet, have I?” 

“I trust you,” Sana confirmed. And she meant it. Jihyo had never done anything to make Sana wary of her character and integrity. In fact, Sana admired the girl for always seemingly being honest. 

“Then you should trust Mina, too. I bet she’s trying hard to figure out how to fix this.” Jihyo gave Sana a small smile, and Sana took a breath before managing to smile back.

Sana knew Mina was doing her best. Hearing Jihyo say that though made Sana feel all the more better. “Thank you. You don’t know how nice it is to talk to someone about this. All I’ve had is Mina, and well, tensions have been a bit high.”

“You’re not gonna tell anyone else the truth?” Jihyo asked. She could sense Sana’s confliction. Jihyo wanted to tell Jeongyeon, since she already told the girl her odd suspicion earlier, but she would keep her mouth shut if that’s what Sana and Mina wanted. Besides, Jeongyeon had thought she was crazy when she brought it up. If anyone was gonna convince Jeongyeon, it would have to be Sana and Mina themselves.

“I’m not sure how much of our conversation you heard, but Mina thinks it’s a bad idea. I want to tell everyone, especially Momo, but Mina seems to think she may hate me for having hid it in the first place.”

Removing her hand from Sana’s, Jihyo began to fiddle with her own fingers, looking down at them as if they would reveal all the answers Sana needed to hear. “I can’t speak for Momo but, I don’t think she’d hate you if you told her now.”

“How did you feel, when you first found out?” Sana asked. She scooched her stool closer to the table, leaning forward even more.

Thinking for a moment, Jihyo pressed her lips together and hummed. “Confusion. Disbelief. But not anger. I do wish Mina would’ve told me right away though. I’m still trying to wrap my head around this, honestly.”

Pouting, Sana huffed. “I am too, and I’m the one stuck like this.” 

“It must be really strange,” Jihyo murmured. Her eyes shifted so she was staring at Sana again, tracing Mina’s familiar features with her eyes. After she realized what she was doing, she coughed and looked away, feeling her face heat up. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to stare.”

Jihyo was stricken with the horrifying thought that Sana had witnessed her and Jeongyeon’s uncensored antics—definitely not appropriate for an acquaintance to see. 

There was their time spent playing the switch last night too, in which Jihyo freely trash-talked the girl who she believed to be her best friend, but apparently was not. Oh god. Jihyo’s face heated up even more, knowing it had actually been Sana the whole time. 

_“You think she’s cute, though?” Sana_ , not Mina, had asked about herself. 

_“I mean, I have eyes.”_ Jihyo had said.

Groaning, Jihyo was so embarrassed she could barely stand to stay seated in front of Sana right now. “I’m so sorry about yesterday. Everything Jeongyeon and I said, it was so insensitive—”

Sana tsked, shaking her head. “No, no, you don’t need to apologize. You had no way of knowing it was me.”

“But still, the fact that you had to find out because of us. It’s really horrible…” Jihyo hung her head, and Sana pouted again, not liking to see Jihyo distraught.

“I don’t blame either of you for that,” Sana assured. “I’m glad I found out, honestly. I’m not sure Mina would’ve ever told me the truth.” She stopped talking then, glancing over at Jihyo to see the girl looked uncomfortable again. 

“I’m not going to try to explain Mina’s decisions to you,” Jihyo said. “That’s between you and her. But I think she was just scared.”

Jihyo’s heart broke at the thought of Mina out there now, feeling alone and torn up. She knew the girl must be having a hard time, especially dealing with Momo. 

Jihyo wanted to ask Sana about Momo—and how exactly Mina was handling filling Sana’s shoes in that regard. Was she really temporarily dating the girl in Sana’s place? Though she really wanted to know, Jihyo held her tongue, not wanting to make Sana more upset. 

“I’m scared too,” Sana admitted, shaking Jihyo from her own thoughts. “I miss Momo. Her and I were supposed to go to a party tonight,” she muttered, a bit bitterly. 

“Jennie’s party?” Jihyo asked. “I was gonna go to that as well.” She paused. “Actually, I know Mina got invited to that too. Her, Jeong and I were thinking about all going together.”

Raising an eyebrow, the gears in Sana’s head began to turn. “Really?” She couldn’t hide the excitement in her tone. Sana could still go to the party after all, which meant that she would have an excuse to see Momo again outside of Mina’s dance class. Just seeing Momo’s face, even from a distance, would surely make Sana feel better. 

Jihyo could sense the girl was scheming, and she was intrigued, but a little worried. 

“Jihyo,” Sana asked, putting on the cutest puppy eyes she could muster. “Could you help me out with something?”

  
  
  
Sana’s phone buzzed lightly against the wooden library table, startling both Mina and Nayeon. 

“Oops, forgot to put that on do not disturb,” Mina mumbled, reaching like lightning for the phone to see who was messaging Sana now. She was surprised to see the message was from Sana herself—telling her about the party at Jennie’s tonight. What surprised Mina even more is that Sana was urging Mina to go, and even informed her she’d be attending as well. 

It was a horrible idea, and Mina almost angrily typed that all out before she took a calming breath, backspaced the message, and closed her eyes. She owed it to Sana to do this for her, she supposed. Mina still felt bad for their heated conversation earlier, and the fact that she had hid something so important from Sana.

And the fact that she was still hiding the kiss…

Mina texted Momo about the party, curious to see if she was planning on going as well. Sure enough, Momo had immediately responded that she was already planning her outfit. Rubbing her temples, Mina sighed, setting Sana’s phone down and staring at the screen of her laptop that she had switched to looking at instead of the stack of medical journals she had pulled from the library shelves. 

“Guess I’m going to the party,” Mina murmured to Nayeon, who instantly looked up from her own laptop screen and raised an eyebrow. 

“You look thrilled,” Nayeon remarked, sarcastically. “It’ll be fun. It’s been awhile since we partied hard, anyway. We _earned_ this.”

Mina gulped. How hard exactly did Sana, Momo and Nayeon go? 

“I’m not going crazy tonight,” Mina assured. “I have a lot of work to get done tomorrow.” It was true—she couldn’t afford to be hung over all day since she was putting off her assignments to focus on this pointless, personal research. 

She could use a drink though, maybe two. It depended on Sana’s tolerance, of course. 

“We’ll see,” Nayeon said, hiding her knowing smile behind the screen of her laptop. 

  
  


Nayeon and Mina walked back to the apartment together. Mina let Nayeon do most of the talking—sharing some more work stories, and complaining about one of her professors. Sometimes talkative people bugged Mina, but she found Nayeon’s rambling endearing. The girl was very expressive and dramatic for no other reason than to make people laugh. And Mina did laugh, so hard in fact, that she playfully shoved Nayeon off the path they were walking on. 

Nayeon let out a yelp of protest, but she broke out into a dopey grin as she watched Mina giggle. Once Mina caught her breath from bursting into laughter, she turned to look back at Sana’s friend, who was still smiling in satisfaction. 

“You’re funny, these days,” Nayeon murmured, so quietly that Mina almost didn’t catch it. 

Mina raised an eyebrow, pressing her lips together in a small smile. “Really?” 

Nayeon hummed, trying to hide her smile and put on a serious expression. She looked forward again, this time at her shoes as she stepped one foot in front of the other. “Look how you’re walking now,” she pointed out. 

That’s when Mina noticed she’d fallen into her habit of walking with her feet pointed slightly outward. It was something she did without even noticing, whenever she was comfortable. Embarrassed, Mina quickly adjusted herself so that she was walking normally again. “Bad habit,” she mumbled, sticking her hands into the pockets of Sana’s tracksuit. 

“You seem to have a few new bad habits lately,” Nayeon pointed out, thinking back to the unfamiliar position she’d caught her friend in when they were at the library the other day. “It’s cute.”

Mina had braced herself for some suspicious questions she’d have to dodge, but Nayeon’s afterthought made her blush. Jeongyeon and Jihyo often told Mina she was cute, but this made her feel different, somehow. “I’m glad you think so,” Mina finally said. 

The thought of Nayeon finding her quirks and habits—qualities that were uniquely hers, and not Sana’s—cute, ignited a wave of both pride and shyness in Mina.

She wondered if Nayeon would find those habits just as cute if she actually knew her for who she really was. 

  
  
  


Momo had finished getting ready a bit early for the party to head over to Sana and Nayeon’s dorm to tease and distract them until they finished getting ready themselves. Letting herself in with her key, Momo tip-toed over to Sana’s room, poking her head into the bedroom to find Mina standing in front of her wardrobe, looking at the options in front of her as if she couldn’t make up her mind. 

Coughing to announce her presence, Mina spun around to see Momo leaning seductively against the bedroom door frame, with one hand slightly above her head, pressed against the white wood. She had on a black, tight-fitting dress that complimented her frame in the best possible way. Her face was polished with dark brown eyeshadow and a shade of bright lipstick. A cocky smile tugged at her lips as she stared at Mina knowingly. 

Mina struggled to even process the sight for a moment—having never really seen Momo this dressed up before. Of course she’d seen Momo dressed up for performances—but that was always wearing theatrical, sometimes a bit silly, looking costumes, and dramatic, caked-on makeup. This Momo was much more sultry and much more dangerous. 

“You look...you look amazing,” Mina mumbled, after scrambling to say something remotely coherent and intelligent. 

Momo sultered into the room, completely making a show out of her entrance. If Mina wasn’t so in awe, she probably would’ve giggled at the sight. “That’s all you have to say?” Momo asked, drawing closer and closer. Mina inadvertently backed up so that the back of her heels pressed against the wardrobe. 

“Um, er,” Mina struggled, trying hard to not stare at Momo’s exposed neck right in front of her. “You look beautiful?” Mina suggested. Then, with more confidence. “You look lovely!”

Momo, who was now only a foot away from Mina, stopped in her tracks and whined, pouting as she took a few steps to her left and sat down on Sana’s bed. “I was going for _hot_ ,” Momo clarified, continuing to pout at Mina like a child. She pretended to be hurt, and so Mina quickly rushed to her side, waving her arms nervously as she let out an awkward laugh. 

“You do look very...hot,” Mina assured, lowering her voice. And Momo really did, Mina just had kept those thoughts to herself out of principle. 

“That’s what you said when you saw me try this dress on in the first place.” Pouting for a moment more, Momo looked away and huffed before her face grew into a teasing grin. “I’ll take beautiful and lovely, though.” 

Momo was a bit underwhelmed by Mina’s reaction—especially having worn the dress her girlfriend had bought for her when they were out shopping together last month—but she tried not to let it bother her too much. 

“You’re all of those things,” Mina replied, feeling incredibly sappy but also truthful in that moment. She was sure Sana must say sappy things to Momo all the time, after all. 

Momo nodded in a show of self-confidence before she turned her attention back to Mina. “And what about you, you still haven’t picked out what you’re going to wear?”

Scratching her head, Mina turned back to look at Sana’s wardrobe, which contained a variety of dresses, skirts and blouses. She shuffled through the hangers for a bit before she pulled out a red dress, similar in style to Momo’s, but sleeveless. “What about this?” Mina asked, holding it in front of her and turning back to Momo. 

“You do love that dress,” Momo said, “You should wear it!” 

It was settled, then. There was only one problem—Mina needed to change into the dress, and she wasn’t about to strip down with Momo watching her in anticipation. “I’m gonna change in the bathroom,” Mina said, taking the hanger with the dress off it and beginning to walk out the bedroom door to the bathroom on the other side of the apartment. 

“Why so shy?” Momo asked, watching her girlfriend in surprise as she quickly shuffled out of the room without giving her an answer. Normally, Sana didn’t hesitate to strip off her clothes in front of Momo, or even Nayeon, for that matter—so this was a surprise. 

Sighing, Momo flopped back against Sana’s bed, staring at the girl’s familiar ceiling. 

Luckily, Nayeon wasn’t using the bathroom and her bedroom door was shut. Mina quickly got inside and changed. As she opened the door to go check up on Momo, Nayeon opened her bedroom door at the same time, giving Mina a wink as she did so. She was wearing a black crop top and a matching high-waisted skirt. Mina tried not to let her eyes linger over Nayeon’s exposed abdomen.

“Don’t hog the bathroom, I need to get my makeup on too,” Nayeon warned. 

Feeling her mouth go dry, Mina licked her lips and simply nodded. Being with two very pretty girls was going to be the death of her. 

“Sana had to get changed in the bathroom,” Momo told Nayeon, slipping up stealthily besides where the two girls were standing. “She’s gotten shy, suddenly.” 

Nayeon was completely unfazed by Momo’s sudden appearance. In fact, she hooked her arm through Momo’s, as if by reflex. Nayeon turned from Momo to Mina, looking at Mina in surprise. “You didn’t want an audience?”

Mina rolled her eyes, trying to not let her flusteredness show as Momo and Nayeon snickered. _Why were they like this?_ “Does no one here know what the concept of privacy is here?” Mina muttered. She spun on her heel and stomped back into the bathroom, only to hear Momo and Nayeon’s collective giggling behind her again. 

And so, Mina and Nayeon both stood in the bathroom, beginning to touch up their makeup. Mina had gotten used to facing Sana’s reflection in the mirror these days, so having to stare at it for a long while didn’t phase her. 

Momo peeked her head inside, watching the two girls work. Starting to narrate Nayeon’s efforts, Momo made Mina bite her tongue as she tried to hold back laughter. Nayeon turned to look at Momo and let out a half laugh, half whine. The narration was so ridiculous, Nayeon couldn’t help but laugh at her own expense, but Momo’s jokes were also distracting her from actually getting anything done right. 

“You’re so annoying!” Nayeon muttered, but she was smiling a bit when she said it. “Can’t you pick on your girlfriend again and leave me alone?”

“I have to share the love since you’re both so fun to tease,” Momo replied.

  
  
After about twenty minutes, both girls were finished getting ready. The party started in ten minutes, but they were planning on being fashionably late. 

“Let’s each take a shot, just to take the edge off,” Nayeon suggested, as the three stood in the kitchen. She walked over to a cupboard and pulled out a bottle of vodka, as well as three shot glasses. Seemed it wasn’t uncommon for the three of them to do shots together. 

Without hesitation, Momo joined Nayeon at the kitchen counter, ready to participate. Mina pressed her lips together, but figured one shot wouldn’t hurt. Besides, she could stomach vodka just fine. 

Nayeon poured each shot glass to the brim before setting the vodka back in the cupboard. “Here’s to our first weekend going out in awhile,” Nayeon proposed, raising a toast. 

“We all needed this,” Momo agreed, lifting her glass as well. 

Mina was the last one to lift her glass. _Let’s hope I don’t regret this_ , she thought, as the three of them clinked their glasses together. In sync, they tipped the shots back, letting the vodka rush down their throats. Mina pinched the bridge of her nose as the burning sensation passed. 

Luckily, Jennie’s house off campus wasn’t too far, and so with their fall coats on, Mina, Momo and Nayeon walked over, knowing they’d be drinking too much to drive. 

  
  


There was a fair amount of people at the two story house already—some outside, chatting in the comfortable night air, but most packed into the house, drinking cheap beer. A speaker played generic pop music, and no one was dancing yet but after everyone had a few more drinks Mina was sure that a dance floor would form. 

Mina could feel Momo reaching for her hand, interlocking their fingers as they walked through the front door. Giving Momo’s hand a reassuring squeeze, they continued forward through the mini clusters of college students, who gave them looks of interest as they passed.

Immediately, Nayeon beelined to say hello to Jennie, who was talking to a few other girls in the center of the foyer. The two girls practically squealed when they saw each other, embracing in a tight hug. Mina had been here before actually, but only because Jennie’s roommate, Lisa, had been in a few of her classes last year. This wasn’t her normal crowd, but hopefully she’d see a few people she knew so she felt less intimidated.

“Hi Jennie,” Mina murmured, approaching the girl shyly. Momo repeated her own quiet hellos, clearly feeling just as shy as Mina was. Jennie pulled both girls into hugs as well, expressing her happiness to see them.

“Glad you all could make it! Drinks are in the kitchen, please help yourselves,” she instructed, being a gracious host. 

“Oh we will,” Nayeon promised, winking at Jennie before ushering Mina and Momo toward the kitchen. On their way there, Mina almost yelled out a hello to Lisa, but quickly bit her tongue, unsure if Sana actually knew the girl. 

Of course, as they passed, Lisa politely greeted them as well. It was no surprise Sana knew her, being as social as she was. However, Mina was a bit surprised by Nayeon’s socializing skills—never having seen her around a big group before. Nayeon didn’t strike Mina as the type to be as outgoing as Sana, but she was flourishing in this environment. 

“What do you guys want?” Momo asked, being the first one to reach the selection of alcohol available. There wasn’t much selection, besides beer and a questionable punch bowl filled with who-knows-what. Without even waiting for an answer, Momo quickly handed Mina and Nayeon a beer. 

“That’s more like it!” Nayeon cheered, not even hesitating to twist her bottle open. She took a swig, bigger than she was intending, and made a sour face after she struggled to swallow it down. Then she made a satisfied sound with her mouth, pretending as if that wasn’t the worst drink she’d ever had in her life. Momo and Mina both laughed at her not-well-hidden distaste, but Mina knew she’d soon be making a similar face once she actually tried to drink the beer in her hand too. She wasn’t a fan of cheap beer, but she’d manage. 

About ten minutes had passed of playful banter between the three girls, sometimes interrupted by jerkish guys approaching them, only for them to back off when met with very unamused and uninterested glares. 

Mina’s habit of sipping whatever drink was in front of her when she wasn’t talking led her to nearly get through her beer a lot faster than she intended to. She was taking a lot of nervous sips tonight, especially when yet another stranger approached her, sometimes giving her a hug or playfully punching her arm. Another one of Sana’s friends that she had to smile and laugh along with as if they weren’t just another face in the crowd. Another stranger she had to scramble to ad-lib something to say to.  
  


It was getting tiring quickly. And _this is why I didn’t want to come tonight_ , Mina thought, glumly. 

In fact, it seemed like there wasn’t a single person at this party Sana and Nayeon didn’t know. Mina couldn’t help but notice Momo looking slightly bored and out of place besides her. 

That’s when Mina remembered Momo wasn’t the social butterfly Sana was. In fact, Mina’s earliest memories of Momo were of her being shy and distant. It was easy to forget that Momo was quite different than Sana in that regard. 

Reassuringly, Mina reached out and took Momo’s hand, giving her a comforting smile. Momo immediately smiled back, appreciating the gesture.   
  


The next few conversations with strangers weren’t quite as bad, feeling Momo’s hand in her own. She traced the girl’s knuckles with her thumb, as she responded to an unfamiliar girl’s friendly remarks on autopilot. 

“You guys are so cute!” The stranger gushed, looking between Momo and Mina warmly. 

“Right?” Nayeon replied, joining in. “They’re so cute it’s sickening.”

“You’re just jealous,” Momo teased. “You want what we have.” Momo pulled Mina closer and stuck her tongue out at Nayeon, who simply flashed Mina and Momo a sly smile as the stranger beside her laughed.

Mina rolled her eyes, but found her heart had started beating a bit faster at Momo’s sudden nearness. Perhaps it was just the alcohol heightening certain things and dulling others, but Mina was also aware of a bit of longing that flashed briefly beneath Nayeon’s confident smile.  
  
So Nayeon and her were the same in that regard—wanting to be loved by someone the way Sana and Momo loved each other.

It occurred to Mina she knew nothing about Nayeon’s previous dating history, and she contemplated roundabout ways of asking the girl about it without revealing how clueless she actually was on the subject. After all, Sana would already know all these things. She’d have to ask Nayeon, at some point. 

Mina quickly tuned back into the conversation in front of her between Nayeon and Momo. The girl who’d said hello a few minutes ago had wandered off, leaving the three girls alone again. Momo and Nayeon took the opportunity to bring up escape rooms. 

“We should do a scarier one next time,” Momo suggested with eyes that were shining dangerously. “A haunted house one!”

Nayeon’s eyes widened. “No way!” she shriled. “That’d be too scary.” 

“Oh c’mon! It would be so much fun!” Momo assured. “Besides, I know Sana wants to do one too!” She turned to Mina, waiting for a sound of agreement from her girlfriend. 

The jungle-themed room had been terrifying enough. A haunted house theme? No thanks. Mina paled slightly at the thought, but swallowed her fear and managed to nod. “Right, yeah. That sounds fun.” She didn’t sound super convincing, so Momo pouted. 

“But you’re the one who told me—”

Momo stopped talking mid sentence, eyes suddenly focused on something over Mina’s shoulder. Instinctively, Mina turned her head to see what the girl was looking at, and her breath instantly caught in her throat.

Sana had just walked into the party with Jeongyeon and Jihyo in tow, and the scene was something straight out of a movie. It was if everyone had turned to watch the newcomers with interest. Sana practically glowed amid the dim, mood lighting. Why? 

Her hair was bright, shining _blonde_. 

Correction. Mina’s hair was now bright, shining, _blonde_. Sana had dyed her hair—hair that wasn’t really hers—without Mina’s permission. 

The drink Mina was holding nearly slipped from her hand. Her vision clouded and turned dark, blood, red. 

_How the hell could you do this to me?_ Mina wanted to scream. If looks could kill, a few daggers would’ve launched themselves into Sana’s chest by now. She knew exactly what this was—Sana’s way of lashing out at her for what she’d done. Sana had felt like she’d lost control of her own life, so she wanted Mina to feel the same. 

Mina’s poor, poor hair. 

“Wow, Mina looks really good with blonde hair,” Momo observed, cutting off Mina’s harsh and hateful internal monologue. 

_Wait, really?_

Nayeon leaned against Mina’s side, craning her mouth so that it was positioned directly in front of Mina’s ear. “ _That’s_ Mina? Your sunglasses girl?” Nayeon was lucky the background music playing from the speaker set up was blaring loudly enough to drown out the sound of her sad excuse of a much-too-loud whisper.

“Yes,” Mina hissed back, swatting the girl’s arm. Why did the sight of Sana in her body suddenly seem to have Nayeon so interested? “Now, close your mouth before you start drooling.”

Sure enough, Nayeon’s eyes were transfixed on Sana as she trailed behind Jeongyeon and Jihyo toward where Jennie was now standing on the growing dance floor with a group of her friends. It made Mina roll her eyes. Nayeon mumbled something about how Sana was so mean to her before she closed her mouth. 

The moment Sana spotted Momo in the crowd, she instantly lit up. Momo was wearing the dress Sana had bought her last month at the boutique they’d wandered into. It was a bit expensive, but it was well worth the money. That couldn’t be more apparent now, seeing it draped delicately around Momo’s body and hugging all the curves and lines of her body exquisitely well. 

Standing immediately to Momo’s left was Mina, whose surprised and beyond livid expression made Sana break out into a sly grin. This is exactly what Sana had been going for by dyeing her hair. She shot Mina a poorly executed wink as she walked past, and she could swear she saw steam blowing out of the girl’s ears. 

Mina almost stepped forward to grab the back of the dress Sana was wearing to yank her backward, but she bit her tongue and restrained herself. After all, she couldn’t make a scene in front of all of her classmates, especially not Momo, Jihyo and Jeongyeon. She’d have to wait until she could get Sana alone, and then she would unleash the fury building up inside of her. 

“She’s so attractive,” Nayeon mused, smiling in Sana’s direction. “Especially with blonde hair.”

Mina nearly choked on the beer she had continued to force down her throat. She sputtered and coughed a few times, causing Momo to slap her back in an attempt to get her to stop. “Mina? You’ve seen her before?” Mina asked, recovering from her coughing fit after a few seconds and turning to Nayeon with a surprised yet suspicious look on her face. 

Mina had definitely not seen Nayeon before all this, at least not that she could remember.

Nayeon took a sip of her beer before nodding. “I see her at the library sometimes,” she explained.

Oh. Of course! Nayeon mentioned she always studied on the third floor, same as Mina. Was Mina the one Nayeon had been looking for in the library earlier that day? 

The odds, Mina reminded herself, were pretty slim, but even the slight possibility made Mina’s stomach flip. She turned away and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, momentarily forgetting about Sana’s betrayal. 

  
  
  


“Everyone is staring,” Jeongyeon murmured, once her and her friends had said hello to Jennie and two of her roommates. “If this is what you wanted...well...you got it,” she told Sana, who was looking in the direction of where Mina, Nayeon and Momo were standing. 

“I got the reaction I was looking for,” Sana confirmed, smiling smugly. 

Jihyo followed Sana’s gaze, watching the three other girls across the room. It was odd, now knowing the girl that appeared to be Sana was actually Mina. Jihyo could even see it now in the girl’s stance, almost too erect, which meant her friend was definitely uncomfortable. 

Mina turned her head and accidentally made eye contact with Jihyo. Raising her hand in an awkward wave, Mina let herself genuinely smile, feeling some relief at seeing Jihyo and Jeongyeon tonight. Jihyo waved back, also smiling. She had to remind herself that Mina didn’t realize she knew about the switch yet. Until she knew for sure it was okay to confront Mina about it, she’d have to play along with Sana and Mina’s game as well. 

“I dare you to try the punch,” Jeongyeon told Jihyo, gesturing to the pinkish flavored liquid sitting in the large glass bowl on the counter. 

Sizing up the drink, Jihyo tucked her lips in for a moment before she gave Jeongyeon a challenging grin. “I’ll drink a whole cupful, but you know I’ll be just fine.”

Jeongyeon rolled her eyes, knowing her friend was right. Jihyo had the best tolerance out of the three girls by a wide margin. Jeongyeon’s tolerance wasn’t terrible—she could hold her own normally pretty well—but Mina was a different story. The girl turned into an entirely different person after only a few drinks. Drunk Mina was an experience.

Jihyo and Jeongyeon had learned to keep an eye on her freshman year, when they attended more parties than they should’ve. But after a few hilarious yet embarrassing occurrences, one involving Mina climbing onto a table to dance on, Mina had learned to keep a check on her own level of tipsiness without the aid of her friends.

Tonight though, was a different story. 

  
  
  


Mina drank more than she should’ve. Between Nayeon and Momo—the girls were constantly refilling the cup in her hand. She had drank so much of the watery beer, in fact, that the taste began to bother her less and less. Besides, it was nearly impossible to say no to Momo and Nayeon, who were both determined to drag her along into the fun.

“Look who it is,” Nayeon shouted, nodding her head toward a girl who was struggling to cross the living room to approach them. “Dahyun!” 

Mina chewed her lip and put on a smile, despite not knowing who Dahyun was at all. Clearly she was close with Sana, Momo and Nayeon though, because even at the sight of Dahyun, Momo instantly perked up. Dahyun had long, straight blonde hair that was pulled up into a ponytail, and was wearing a blue dress that really suited her pale skin. 

“Shouldn’t you be home studying?” Nayeon asked the girl, when she finally made it to where the group was standing. 

“What? I can’t have a little fun too?” Dahyun asked, wagging her eyebrows in a dramatic fashion and making Nayeon cackle for reasons Mina didn’t quite understand. 

Momo stepped beside the girl, putting an arm around her instantly. Dahyun didn’t hesitate to reciprocate the gesture. “Dahyun,” Momo scolded jokingly, fussing with the girl’s short dress. “What’s this?”

“Appropriate college party wear,” Dahyun replied, smacking Momo’s hands away. “I’m not a baby, you know,” she whined. 

“You’ll always be a baby to us,” Nayeon corrected, looking at Mina and waiting for her input. 

There was an awkward pause, and Mina quickly stepped forward, noticing all the expectant eyes on her. “Right, always,” she replied, nodding much too eagerly. 

Nayeon raised an eyebrow at her but quickly turned her focus back to Dahyun.

As Dahyun spoke animatedly, catching the girls up on how her life had been going, Nayeon and Momo both lit up, clearly hanging on the girl’s every word. It was clear how much she meant to both of them, and it made Mina smile. 

Mina was able to learn a few things about the girl—like how she was the friend Sana had mentioned worked in residential services—and that she was a year below them in school. After experiencing some of Dahyun’s infectious laughter, Mina decided she already liked the girl. 

The background music changed to something a bit more upbeat and repetitive and there was a chorus of pleased shouts throughout the living room, clearly liking the change of music. “What are you guys just standing around for, let’s dance!” Dahyun replied. She began to tug Momo toward the floor and the girl followed without hesitation. Momo looked back at Mina and grinned before she disappeared into the crowd of dancing college students. 

“I do love this song,” Nayeon mumbled, as if debating if she wanted to join her friends. She took a step after them, then turned back to look at Mina and held out her hand. “Well, you coming?” 

Though Mina was a dancer, dancing at parties was a different story. Freestyling wasn’t exactly her strong suit, and she didn’t like looking foolish. She didn’t mind dancing with friends though, especially after a few drinks. 

Mina looked up at the corner where Sana, Jeongyeon and Jihyo were standing across the room, and then looked down at Nayeon’s inviting hand. Feeling her stomach do a little somersault, Mina smiled and reached out to take it, intertwining her fingers with Nayeon’s. 

It felt...nice. 

Nayeon pulled her onto the mini dance floor, stumbling a bit as bodies knocked and pressed against her. Mina gave the boy who stumbled back into them a dirty look before he muttered an embarrassed apology and turned back around. 

The rest of the song was spent jumping up and down to the beat and swaying their hips and shoulders to the rhythm. Momo and Dahyun were lost somewhere else in the crowd, so Nayeon and Mina stayed together, facing each other as they goofily danced to the music. 

Mina figured she deserved this—a night to relax and forget her troubles. Especially now that Sana was out of sight, and almost out of mind with each drink she downed. The crowd dancing in the living room seemed to keep growing, pushing Nayeon and Mina closer and closer, but Mina didn’t mind. 

It was easy to let herself get carried away, staring at Nayeon’s charming smile with the buzz of the alcohol coursing through her veins. Among the crowd of blurred and red faces, Nayeon was shining. 

Nayeon reached out and took both of Mina’s hands in her own, and they moved together...or at least tried to. Mina laughed at how Nayeon was unapologetically out of sync by about half a beat, and Nayeon laughed along with her. It was clear by how giggly they both were that the alcohol was really starting to kick in. 

“I’ve missed this,” Nayeon shouted, above the music. She suddenly looked a bit shy, but the alcohol proved to be a confidence-booster. “We haven’t hung out as much recently, just the two of us.”

Mina could imagine how Nayeon must feel like a third wheel at times, especially when it seemed Momo was around Sana so often. It must’ve been hard, knowing she was friends with the two girls before Sana and Momo got together. Mina squeezed the girl’s hand, knowing Sana would be doing the same if she were here now. She wouldn’t want her best friend to feel sad or left out. 

“I’m sorry,” Mina shouted back. “I missed this, too. Let’s hang out more in the future, okay?”

It was strange how Mina could speak so genuinely in this moment when she wasn’t really involved at all. She’d gotten good at pretending to be someone else. Somewhere along the way, her own life was starting to blur with Sana’s, like the faces around her were blurring now. It was a worrying thought, but the alcohol shushed the paranoid feeling spinning up in Mina’s brain. 

“Okay.” Nayeon was giving Mina a dopey smile, showing off her two large front teeth. Mina smiled back, and all the while the two continued dancing. Their movement was more in sync now that Mina was hyper aware of where the girl’s body ended and hers began. The distance between the two was constantly waning as the sea around them pushed in and then retreated rhythmically.

There was a look in Nayeon’s eyes—something more intense and dangerous than Mina was used to. Normally, it would have gotten Mina flustered, but in this moment she stared confidently back, challenging the girl in front of her. Mina liked the way Nayeon made her feel. She could look at her without feeling guilty and undeserving like she did with Momo. It was liberating. 

So when Nayeon let go of Mina’s left hand and gently pressed her fingers along Mina’s waist, Mina didn’t stop her. 

She didn’t even flinch. 

  
  
  


Sana had a beer. Then another. Then _another_. 

She was chugging them down at her normal rate, throwing herself into an exponential buzz, instead of a gradual one. The alcohol was hitting her so hard so quickly, her mind didn’t even have time to process it. All she knew was that she needed this, and each drink made her feel better.

It wasn’t long before she pulled Jihyo and Jeongyeon onto the dance floor too, giggling in delight as she began to move her hips to the upbeat pop song. Jeongyeon whined but let herself be pulled along by Sana. Her limbs flopped around as Sana, with both of Jeongyeon’s hands in hers, moved her around to the beat of the song like a puppet. Jihyo laughed at the two, laughing harder when Jeongyeon pouted at her. 

“Come on, just move your hips,” Sana murmured, doing her best to get Jeongyeon to do as she was told. 

“She’s hopeless,” Jihyo said, laughing with Sana as she danced without a care. Eventually, Jeongyeon loosened up and began to dance, and Jihyo and Sana cheered. The three of them jumped and swayed, and Sana nearly fell into Jihyo. 

“Easy there,” Jihyo murmured, catching the girl and standing her upright. “How many drinks have you had so far?”

Sana pursed her lips as she thought for a moment. “Not that many. Like 5?” 

Jihyo and Jeongyeon looked at each other, both instantly looking worried. 

“Sana,” Jihyo whispered into the girl’s ear. “Mina doesn’t normally drink that much anymore so she’s a serious lightweight. You might want to take it easy.”

Sana’s eyes widened a bit and for a brief moment. The logical, functioning part of her brain went “oh crap,” but it was quickly replaced by the intoxicated part of her brain that told her everything would be alright. She giggled into Jihyo’s ear. “Everything will be fine,” she said, with the casual assurance of someone who was very much drunk. 

The world around her was buzzing. There were no thoughts about Mina’s crush on her girlfriend, or the fact that she wasn’t even herself right now. There was just the vibration of the bass from the speakers, and the occasional brush of Jihyo and Jeongyeon beside her. 

She was having _fun_. 

After a few more songs finished, Sana tugged on Jeongyeon’s arm and told her she was going to go look for the restroom. 

“Let me come with you,” Jeongyeon replied, but Sana quickly waved her arms dismissively. 

“I know where it is, I’ve been here before,” Sana said. “You and Jihyo keep dancing, I’ll be right back.” Jeongyeon let her go, but watched the girl worriedly. She was managing to walk in a straight line just fine, so that was a good thing, at least. 

She really did remember where the restroom was, but it proved to be a bit difficult to maneuver her way there around the crowds of people. She found her way to the hallway with the restroom and a few bedrooms. A girl was standing across from the closed bathroom door with her arms crossed. 

“Momo,” Sana murmured, staring at the girl in front of her as if she weren’t real. 

Momo looked up at Sana with wide eyes. “Mina,” Sana flinched at the sound of the name that was very much not hers. “Your hair looks really nice,” Momo replied. She smiled at Sana, and Sana could feel her heart instantly racing. Finally, Momo was here, in front of her. Momo was _looking_ at her. 

Sana stepped forward so that there was very minimal space between the both of them. She was grinning from ear to ear—Mina’s large gummy smile. “Thanks! I just bleached it today.” Mina’s shorter height made Sana tilt her head up to make eye contact with her girlfriend, especially in the tall heels Momo was sporting. The more noticable height difference nearly made Sana giggle. 

“You look really nice in that dress,” Sana continued, looking down more closely at the girl’s figure. Her hands itched to reach out and touch Momo’s thighs. “I’m so glad you finally wore it.” Her voice was beginning to slur a bit, and Momo cocked her head to the side in confusion. Knowing she had messed up, Sana gasped and covered her own mouth. “Sorry, I had a bit too much to drink,” she informed Momo. Any momentary worries in her mind were quickly suppressed by the alcohol in her system. 

And Momo—Momo’s beautiful, pretty face. 

Momo seemed a bit concerned by this, she reached out and took a hold of Sana’s right arm. “Are you okay?” she asked. “Do you want me to go get Jeongyeon or Jihyo?”

“I’m doing better now that you’re here!” Sana assured, perkily. 

The smile on Sana’s face faded quickly after that, and Momo could’ve sworn the girl’s eyes began to glisten in the poorly lit hallway. “I’ve missed you, though,” Sana admitted, sadly—her tone and vibe had completely done a 180 in seconds. “So much,” she added. Her voice was quiet and shaky, barely audible above the murmuring people nearby.

Momo’s grip on Sana’s arm loosened slightly, but she kept hanging on. “Mina, I think I better get Jihyo or Jeongyeon,” she replied, beginning to walk toward the kitchen, but Sana sidestepped in her way, blocking her.

“Please don’t go,” Sana begged, eyes beginning to well up with tears. 

Momo instantly froze, unable to ignore the puppy eyes in front of her. “I won’t,” she assured, though she didn’t quite know what to do. The situation was awkward, and Momo had never seen Mina this drunk before. 

Mina had cried in front of her once before, after rehearsals for a dance recital. Mina was always overcritical of herself, and when she made mistakes she would mentally punish herself. The stress of school and the recital was combining and Mina, who made one minor mistake during rehearsal, broke out into tears afterward. 

Momo had tip-toed beside the girl backstage, awkwardly shifting her weight between her feet as she decided on what to do. 

If Sana were there, she would know what to do. The girl always knew how to comfort someone when they were upset. It was like her superpower. She always told Momo exactly what she needed to hear. She could chase any demon away. 

But Momo was here, not Sana. Mina was her friend, so she had to try her best to bring the girl comfort. Momo wasn’t good with words, and she was too afraid she’d say something to Mina that would make the girl cry harder, so she’d have to offer something else. 

That day, she pulled Mina into a bear hug, engulfing her tightly, and letting Mina’s sobs muffle against her chest. After a few minutes, the sobs erupting throughout Mina’s body subsided, and Momo rubbed the girl’s back fondly before she let her go. 

Mina had murmured the softest, most grateful “thank you” into her ear as she pulled away. 

Momo figured tonight she would do the same with Mina as it seemed to do the trick last time—giving her a big hug. She wrapped her arms around Sana, pulling her in tightly. 

The girl’s breathing only sped up and grew more unsteady as they got closer, but Momo held on, hoping the girl would calm down soon. Sana began to silently sob—Momo could feel it in the way the girl’s body shook against her own. 

Momo squeezed more tightly, rubbing her back. “I’m here,” she murmured against the girl’s hair. 

Sana let herself lean into the hug, and began to trace continuous figure eights against Momo’s bare lower back. She could feel the ridges of Momo’s spine against her middle finger as it dragged along the other girl’s skin. God, she had missed this so much. Momo’s familiar and suffocating embrace. 

The motion of Sana tracing her fingers sent electric shocks along Momo’s skin. The circular pattern was something Sana always traced along her body, in that exact same spot. It tickled, ever so slightly, but not to the point where Momo ever wanted Sana to stop. It walked the fine line between unpleasantness and pleasure in a perfect balance. The light touch was enough to make the hairs on the back of Momo’s neck stand up. 

Sana could feel the way Momo’s body tensed up and also relaxed at the habitual act. She loved the feeling of being in control, and having this sort of power over her girlfriend. At some point since the hug began, Sana had stopped crying. She felt more at ease now than she had in the past few days. 

If it were up to her, she would hug Momo forever, intertwined in an everlasting spiral, but Momo slowly let her go. Sana couldn’t help but hide the disappointment she felt now that she wasn’t in Momo’s arms any longer. 

Momo remained close though, close enough that Sana could see the girl looking at her curiously. There was a look on her face Sana didn’t quite recognize. And her lips were a dark, inviting _red._

Without thought—effortlessly, like riding a bike for the first time in years—Sana leaned forward and pressed her lips against Momo’s. 

For a moment, everything felt right. Momo’s lips were as soft as ever. The smell of the girl’s sweet perfume tickled Sana’s nose. Sana’s hand found Momo’s lower back once again, putting slight pressure on it as she drew the girl’s body closer.

Then Momo opened her eyes, and the five seconds of sweetness were shattered. 

Making a guttural sound Sana had never heard Momo make before, the girl leapt back against the wall, staring at Sana with wide, wild eyes. 

She looked like a cornered animal, with fear written across her face in ugly, bold letters. A range of emotions flashed across Momo’s face—confusion, anger and disgust. 

Momo wasn’t sure what scared her more—the fact that someone who wasn’t her girlfriend kissed her, or the fact that the kiss, as short as it was, felt strangely familiar. 

“Momo…” Sana began, reaching out for the girl. The panic was beginning to set in, but all she knew was she _desperately_ needed Momo, who was right there in front of her. But Momo was looking at her as if she were a despicable monster. “Wait, you don’t understand! I’m not Mi—“ 

As Sana’s hand grazed Momo’s arm, the girl swatted it away, shaking her head and refusing to make eye contact with her. Sana flinched back at the sudden cruelty but managed to stand her ground. The words in Sana’s throat got caught, like the wind had been knocked out of her lungs. 

_Fuck._

Momo took a few heavy breaths before she wordlessly slipped away toward the kitchen and the crowd. 

Sana stood with trembling legs, watching the girl go. Slowly, in the thundering silence, she slid onto her knees. 

  
  
  


Hands suddenly grabbed Nayeon from behind, making the girl spin around with an annoyed expression on her face to see who her interrupter was. But it was Momo, and the annoyance Nayeon felt instantly evaporated, especially when she saw the look of pure devastation on Momo’s face. 

Luckily “Sana” wasn’t anywhere near Nayeon at the moment, for Momo’s sake. Momo couldn’t bear to look at her girlfriend after what just happened. 

“I’ll be right back,” Nayeon told Jennie, who nodded in understanding and watched the two friends quickly move to a quieter part of the house. 

“What’s going on?” Nayeon replied, as soon as they were somewhere where the music wasn’t blaring. 

Momo shook her head for a moment, squeezing her eyes shut. She was clearly on the verge of a panic attack. What could have gone so wrong on Momo’s way to the restroom? 

Nayeon placed her hands on Momo’s shoulders, urging the girl to look at her. “Momo,” she called gently. “What happened?”

“I need to go,” Momo blurted out. She was rocking her weight back and forth from foot to foot. “I can’t be here anymore.”

Nayeon opened her mouth to ask more questions but Momo silenced her with a pleading look. “Fine, then I’m coming with you,” Nayeon said. 

Stepping out of Nayeon’s reach, Momo shook off the girl’s hands from her shoulders. “No, you need to stay here with Sana,” Momo replied. She wasn’t asking, she was ordering. It was rare to see Momo this upset or serious, and that was how Nayeon knew something was really wrong. 

“Will you be okay on your own?” Nayeon asked, knowing she couldn’t stop Momo from leaving due to the girl’s stubbornness. “Let me at least walk you home.”

Momo’s eyes were shining with tears threatening to spill. She looked at her feet, unable to look at Nayeon any longer. “I’d like to be by myself. I need the fresh air,” she explained. 

Nayeon reached out and took one of Momo’s hands, squeezing it hard. “Please don’t do anything stupid,” Nayeon begged.

Momo’s lips formed a snarlish, bitter smile. “Too late,” she murmured. She turned around and began to walk toward the front door.

“What do I tell Sana?” Nayeon yelled after her. 

Momo paused for a moment, looking back at her friend. “Make up a lie. You’re good at that.” On that note, Momo turned back around and rushed through the crowd of people, out of Nayeon’s sight. 

Nayeon sighed loudly and raked a hand through her hair. She didn’t like being in the middle of whatever happened, but she’d always help Momo, no matter what. 

She turned around and walked back over to Jennie, already forming an excuse for Momo in her head before she opened her mouth to continue the conversation. “Sorry about that,” she told Jennie, who graciously handed Nayeon another beer. 

“Don’t worry about it. Is Momo okay?”

Nayeon swallowed, looking down at the dark colored liquid in the bottle. “I’m honestly not sure.”

  
  
  


“Sana,” a voice called. Sana remained sitting on the floor, not even bothering to look up. She knew exactly who it was.

“What’s going on?” Jihyo continued, squatting down besides Sana and searching her face for answers. “You were gone for awhile and then Momo rushed out—“

“Did she leave?” Sana whispered, eyes finally raising to meet Jihyo’s. Jihyo could tell the girl had been crying.

“Here,” Jihyo said, grabbing Sana’s forearms and hoisting her up onto her feet. “Let’s get you cleaned up and talk in the bathroom.”

Jihyo guided Sana into the empty restroom and shut the door behind them. Sana leaned against the sink counter, trying to control her breathin, as Jihyo grabbed a tissue and wetted it, beginning to dab Sana’s face to wipe away the running makeup. 

“Momo left, it looked like. What happened?”

Sana swallowed, remaining silent. 

“Sana…” Jihyo replied. There was a hint of both frustration and disappointment laced behind it. “Did you and Momo…?”

“I kissed her,” Sana admitted, standing straight up. “I wasn’t thinking properly. I drank too much…” The girl groaned, clearly beyond angry with herself. 

“So Momo thinks Mina kissed her. You didn’t tell her who you really are, right?”

Sana shook her head. “She didn’t give me the chance.”

Jihyo finished dabbing Sana’s face, throwing out the tissue. “This is a mess. Are you going to tell Mina?”

The breath in Sana’s throat hitched, she looked up at Jihyo, who was looking down at her with a bit of pity. Sana couldn’t even think of facing Mina right now, but she knew she had to. “Momo’s gonna confess to her what happened,” Sana said, clutching her chest, which felt as though a heavy weight was pushing down on it. “I should warn her before that happens.”

Sana could imagine Momo in tears, clinging onto Mina as if her life depended on it, barely being able to speak. Even just the thought of it was enough to make Sana shutter, knowing it was her fault that Momo was feeling so broken right now.

“Sana,” Jihyo started. She bit her lip, clearly hesitating a moment, before she curled her hands into fists and found the determination to continue. “I can’t begin to guess how Momo feels right now, but I don’t think she’s Mina’s biggest fan at the moment, because of this. You have to realize that’s going to hurt Mina, too. She looks up to Momo so much, the thought of Momo thinking poorly of her is gonna crush her.”

Sana huffed, leaning back against the sink counter. “Mina hasn’t exactly been the most considerate of my feelings lately.” Her tone was bitter and harsh, but Jihyo remained unfazed.

“Mina wouldn’t deliberately hurt you,” Jihyo said, knowingly. “And I know you wouldn’t deliberately hurt her, either.” 

Pouting, Sana looked away, but she knew Jihyo was right.

Jihyo turned to look in the mirror, fixing her hair, which had gotten slightly messy in the midst of all their dancing. “You two just need to talk things out and be adults.” 

“You’re the one who helped me dye Mina’s hair!” Sana pointed out, and Jihyo suddenly looked sheepish. 

“That was mostly harmless,” Jihyo argued, but there was a slight smile on her face. “I think Mina’s probably over it already. Besides, it was your idea, not mine.” 

Sana gasped, but then couldn’t help but smile at how devious Jihyo was being. “Alright, fine. I’ll go talk to her before she leaves the party.” 

Jihyo hummed, satisfied with that response. 

A knock on the door startled both Jihyo and Sana. “Be right out,” Jihyo called. She looked at Sana, who seemed to have mostly collected herself, before opening the door. 

“Oh,” a voice on the other side called, and Jihyo raised an eyebrow to see it was Jeongyeon who had knocked, with a few other people standing behind her, shooting Sana and Jeongyeon dirty looks. “What the hell were you two doing?” Jeongyeon asked, taking Jihyo by the shoulders and pushing her toward the end of the hallway. “You were gone for like 20 minutes.” 

Walking into the kitchen from the dimly lit hallway, Jeongyeon could finally make out the redness on Sana’s face—clearly the girl had been crying. She bit back the harsh words she was about to launch into, bitter that her friends had left her alone at the party. Something bad had happened, though Jeongyeon wasn’t sure what. Now she was just concerned.

“Are you okay?” Jeongyeon asked, looking down at Sana’s face. 

The girl blinked a few times, before she put on a brave smile. “Of course. Jihyo got me laughing so hard I started crying,” she lied. “I drank too much,” she added, after Jeongyeon gave her a skeptical look. 

“That much I knew,” Jeongyeon replied softly. “Let’s get you some water.”

The gears in her head were turning. First the strange behavior over the last few days, dyeing her hair out of the blue, drinking way too much when she hadn’t slipped in forever...something was wrong with Mina. Jihyo’s phone call with her earlier in the day briefly crossed Jeongyeon’s mind. 

_I don’t think Mina is actually our Mina,_ Jihyo had said. And now, it seemed Jihyo really did know something Jeongyeon didn’t, and it was beginning to bother her. 

Body switching or not, Jeongyeon knew she had to figure out what was going on before the end of the night. 

  
  
  


After several glasses of water, Sana had calmed down a bit, though she was still shaken up. She wanted nothing more than to run to Momo to comfort her and assure her that incident wasn’t her fault. Sana had put her in a terrible, terrible situation, and the thought twisted her insides painfully. 

She’d seen glimpses of Mina around the party with Nayeon and Dahyun in tow, but no Momo. With every sip of water, Sana tried to work up the courage to go up to Mina and pull her aside, but she knew Mina would undoubtedly be upset about what happened. After Sana had just scolded her earlier today, she thought perhaps it was only fitting that the tides had turned on her. 

“Hey, Sana!” Jihyo suddenly called, turning both Mina and Sana’s heads. Jihyo was waving at Mina now, encouraging her to come over. Under her breath, Sana hissed at Jihyo, who elected to just flat out ignore her protest. Sana knew she was trying to force her to talk to Mina, and it was working because Mina, unfortunately, was headed toward them with Nayeon and Dahyun curiously following behind her. 

Mina didn’t really want to talk to Sana now, especially having learned from Nayeon that Momo had left the party because she was sick, without so much as a goodbye. Jihyo didn’t really give Mina any choice though, by calling out to her. Trying her best to smile, Mina approached Sana, Jihyo and Jeongyeon, who were standing on the outskirts of the kitchen. 

“Hey, Jihyo,” Mina murmured, smiling politely at her friend. “It’s good to see you.”

“It’s good to see you too,” Jihyo replied. The girl’s eyes were sparkling with something that made Mina feel uneasy. Almost as if she could see right through her. 

Nayeon waited to be introduced, but it seemed Mina was momentarily tongue-tied, so she took the initiative herself. “Hey,” Nayeon chirped, eagerly waving to the new group of faces that her roommate apparently knew. “I’m Nayeon, Sana’s roommate. Pleasure to meet you.” She stuck out her hand toward the girl called Jihyo, who shook it warmly. 

“Nice to meet you, Nayeon,” Jihyo replied. 

“I’m Dahyun,” Dahyun added, also shaking Jihyo’s hand. “Friends with Sana and Nayeon.”

“Jeongyeon. And this is Mina,” Jeongyeon replied, tipping her head toward Sana. She also reached out and shook Nayeon and Dahyun’s hand. 

“Mina,” Nayeon murmured, taking Sana’s hand and giving the girl a dazzling smile. “I think I’ve seen you in the library before. You study on the third floor, right?”

Sana blinked. Was Nayeon...trying to _flirt_ with Mina?

“Uh,” she looked at Mina for a bit of help because she had no idea what floor of the library Mina studied on. The girl nodded subtly and Sana quickly turned on a pleasant smile herself before nodding at Nayeon. “Yeah, I do like to study there.”

“Me too,” Nayeon replied, letting go of Sana’s hand finally and continuing to smile very big. 

Sana shuddered a bit internally, not liking the way her friend was looking at her with heart eyes. Clearly Nayeon had been drinking a lot, because she would never be this brave otherwise. 

“So you dyed your hair,” Mina interjected, trying her best to save Sana from the awkward situation. “It’s quite...different..” Her eyes narrowed at the girl slightly, though she tried her best to remain cordial. 

Sighing internally, Sana turned to Mina and grinned. “I felt like switching things up a bit.” She looked back at the girl, unfazed. “Do you like it?”

Mina’s mouth, which was forced into a relaxed smile, began to twitch slightly. “It must have taken quite a bit of bleach,” she replied icily, ignoring the question. Her eyes began to bore into Sana now, challenging her. 

“It was worth it,” Sana confirmed, holding her grin. She could almost imagine the steam blowing out of Mina’s ears again. 

“Hey, Mina,” Jihyo said, cutting through the obvious tension between the two girls. “You had something you wanted to tell Sana about, right?” Jihyo gave Sana a hard stare, and Sana finally peeled her eyes off of Mina and let out a nervous, almost pained, laugh. 

“Right, thanks for reminding me,” Sana said with a sharp, clearly annoyed voice. “Sana, mind stepping outside for a bit?”

Jeongyeon raised her eyebrow in surprise, watching the exchange between Jihyo, Sana and Mina with scrutiny. Nayeon and Dahyun looked as out of the loop as Jeongyeon felt. 

“Sure,” Mina said. “It was nice to meet you, Jeongyeon.” She gave the girl a curt nod before heading toward the back door of the house with Sana following closely behind. 

“It was nice to meet you, Mina!” Nayeon called, giving Sana a dorky wave before she folded her arms. As the two girls disappeared, her smile began to fade though. She had hoped officially meeting Mina would help drown out the thoughts she’d been having tonight that were making her feel more confused and guilty than ever, but even that didn’t help.

In her mind, all she could think of was her best friend—the closeness of the girl’s body as they danced together. The way she didn’t pull away as Nayeon pressed closer, _closer_. The way she held Nayeon’s gaze, confident and daring.

Why all of the sudden did she feel so differently around her? What had changed?

Nayeon swallowed the lump in her throat, pressing her eyes shut for a moment before she turned to Jihyo and Jeongyeon and tried to continue a friendly conversation. 

  
  


As soon as Sana and Mina were out of earshot of anyone else in the back of the house, Mina instantly clenched her fists, ready to unload on the girl in front of her.

But Sana held up a hand, signaling to Mina that she knew what was coming. “Look, I know what you’re going to say,” she said, quickly. “But I need to say something else first. Then you can yell at me.”

Mina would’ve protested, but the smug look Sana was sporting moments ago instantly disappeared and was replaced with one much more guilty and sad. Biting her tongue, Mina sighed and nodded. 

“I drank too much. I guess you’re much more of a lightweight than I am and I wasn’t really being careful,” Sana explained. She looked over her shoulder, making sure no one was relatively close to them, then she crossed her arms. “I saw Momo and...I kissed her.”

There was a moment of silence. Sana slowly raised her eyes to meet Mina’s, instantly feeling her face heat up in shame. She’d own up to this mistake though.

“You kissed her and...she kissed you back?” Mina’s voice was very small, and barely audible. Her face was completely blank, which made Sana uneasy.

Swallowing hard, Sana nodded. “Only for a few seconds before she pushed me away. I took her off guard and I wasn’t thinking straight—”

“She thinks I kissed her,” Mina replied, lowering her eyes so that she was looking at the grass beneath her feet. “She now thinks I’m capable of that…because of you.”

Sana winced. This was exactly how Jihyo had feared Mina would react. Sana could see the sudden pain and fear written on Mina’s face. Her friendship with Momo was now shattered, thanks to Sana. “I was going to tell her the truth about everything but she rushed off before I could,” Sana admitted. “I’m sorry.”

Wringing her hands, Mina pressed her lips together. She wanted to be mad, but she supposed this was inevitable. Sana could only stand being away from her girlfriend for so long. “I have something to confess, too.”

Sana’s eyes widened, staring at Mina curiously. The girl didn’t start exploding like she’d expected.

Rubbing the back of her neck, Mina sighed. “After I went out for lunch with Momo earlier this week...I kissed her too.” 

Scoffing, Sana crossed her arms. “I’m not surprised. You know, honestly that wouldn’t bother me so much if I didn’t already know you have a crush on her.” She paused, narrowing her eyes at Mina before sighing, feeling too distraught to really be angry. 

“Momo wanted to be kissed, but I’m the one who leaned in first,” Mina admitted. “I’m sorry.” It was refreshing to hear Mina own up to her mistake. 

“We both messed up, huh?” Sana hummed lightly, shaking her head. “But the real victim here is Momo. We need to set things right and tell her the truth. Even if she hates me for it. Even if she hates us both.”

Sana looked at Mina, prepared to put up a fight if necessary, but the girl looked surprisingly agreeable. Wordlessly, Mina nodded. “You’re right. This has gone on long enough.”

It was a relief to not have to launch into some sort of counter argument. Finally, Mina and Sana were on the same page. 

“Let’s go find her,” Mina suggested. “The both of us. She’ll believe us if we both tell her together.”

“I think telling her tonight may be too much,” Sana replied. “She’ll need a little time to cool down. I don’t want to completely destroy her in one go. So...I need you to do one last thing for me.”

Mina raised an eyebrow.

“Momo will come to you late tonight. She’s going to admit what happened and she’s gonna be a wreck. I just need you to comfort her and tell her it’s not her fault. Then tomorrow morning, we’ll tell her when she isn’t as distraught.”

Sana’s confidence in predicting Momo’s actions surprised Mina, but she didn’t doubt Sana in the slightest. Surely, what Sana guessed would happen. “I can do that,” Mina confirmed. “I’ll try my best, anyway.”

“There’s one more thing, since we’re airing everything out in the open,” Sana added, and Mina felt her stomach drop. “Jihyo knows about us.”

That was certainly not something Mina was expecting Sana to say, but somewhat explained her roommate’s behavior inside earlier. “How did she find out? Did you tell her?”

Sana shook her head. “She overheard our conversation outside earlier today. Apparently we weren’t alone like we thought.”

Mina rubbed her temples, suddenly feeling embarrassed that Jihyo knew. However, it was also a bit of a relief. 

“Anyway, I confessed when she confronted me about it. She hasn’t told anyone, though.”

Mina rocked back on her heels. “Thanks for letting me know. I guess I’ll have to go talk to her.” She turned to look at the house, thinking about how she’d manage to steal Jihyo away from the rest of the girls. 

“C’mon, let’s go back inside,” Sana said, reaching out her hand for Mina’s. Mina took it, and they began walking toward the back door. “You know,” Sana added, as they slid the door open, “seems like Nayeon has her eye on you. Well, me. But really you...you know what I mean,” she sighed. 

“Maybe,” Mina replied. She thought back to dancing with Nayeon earlier—the way she’d pushed closer and placed her hand on Mina’s hip. Perhaps that was just how Sana and Nayeon behaved regularly. But perhaps it wasn’t. 

Mina turned around and slid the back door closed once again. 

  
  
  


Nayeon and Dahyun had gone off on their own, so only Jihyo and Jeongyeon remained, sitting on some stools at the kitchen. “Back so soon?” Jeongyeon replied, looking at Sana and Mina curiously. “Nayeon and Dahyun went out front,” she told Mina. 

“Thanks,” Mina smiled at Jeongyeon. Then turning to Jihyo, she said: “I actually just remembered I have some questions about...a class. Would you mind helping me out for a second? I just don’t want to bore Mina and Jeongyeon with law stuff,” she explained, feeling her face turning red at how lame her excuse sounded. 

Luckily, Jihyo was catching the drift. She stood up from her stool and motioned for Sana to sit down in her place. “Be right back,” she told Jeongyeon and Sana, before she took Mina by the arm and began to pull her toward the foyer, which was a bit more empty now that people were dancing.

Jeongyeon took the opportunity to lean in close to Sana. “Something is going on here,” she whispered. 

Sana turned her head from watching Jihyo and Mina walk off to looking back at Jeongyeon, who was alarmingly close. “Hm?”

Continuing to stare wordlessly, Jeongyeon took a long chug of her beer all the while never taking her eyes off Sana. Sana gulped, feeling a bit anxious facing the suspicious glare. 

“Your wrist,” Jeongyeon said.

“What?”

Jeongyeon gestured to Sana’s left wrist, which was sitting on her lap. “Let me see it.”

Sana glanced around the room, praying Mina and Jihyo would come back at any moment to save her from whatever Jeongyeon was up to, but of course she didn’t have such luck. Wordlessly, she held out her wrist.

Jeongyeon took it in her hands gently, turning Sana’s arm so that her palm was facing the ceiling. Leaning forward, Jeongyeon lowered her head so that her face was only inches from Sana’s wrist. Then...she sniffed it. 

“What are you doing?” Sana cried, pulling her wrist back with a perplexed expression on her face. 

“You’re not wearing your jasmine perfume,” Jeongyeon murmured. “You always wear it when we go out.” She scanned Sana’s neck with her eyes. “And you’re not wearing the necklace I got you, either.” 

Sana reached a hand to her bare neck without thinking, feeling the empty skin there. Her mind scrambled for some kind of legitimate excuse. “It’s just, I—”

“Where did I take you on our first date?” Jeongyeon asked.

Sana’s breath hitched in her throat. She was growing more pale by the second, completely unprepared for this onslaught of jabbing questions. Mina hadn’t prepared her for this. She had no idea what the answer to this question was, and couldn’t even make an educated guess. Staring helplessly back at Jeongyeon, she parted her lips, searching for the right words to say.

“Oh my god,” Jeongyeon muttered. Her eyes widened as she looked at Sana. “You’re really not Mina, are you?”

  
  


Jihyo and Mina had found a good place to talk away from the shouting crowds near the front door.

“I know you know,” Mina began, spinning on her heel to face Jihyo. “Sana told me.”

Jihyo didn’t look surprised. She took a deep breath and glanced at Mina with pity. “Yeah...this is all so weird. How are you holding up?”

“I could be better,” Mina admitted. “Pretending to be Sana is exhausting.” 

Jihyo reached out and gave Mina’s head a pat. The gesture was a bit humorous now, because in Sana’s body, Mina was currently taller than Jihyo, but Jihyo knew Mina always enjoyed it regardless. “I bet. And you and Momo…?”

Mina’s face fell slightly. “I’ve been trying to keep her happy so she doesn’t think anything is wrong. Just for the sake of their relationship, but—”

“Mina, you haven’t been getting too attached to her, have you?” Jihyo asked, voice laced with worry. Jihyo had known about Mina’s hopeless crush on Momo since it first began, years ago. 

Shaking her head, Mina crossed her arms. “I know it’s all pretend,” she assured and smiled, though there was no happiness reflected in her eyes. “Momo really loves Sana and Sana really loves Momo. They’re kind of perfect for one another.”

Jihyo put a hand on her friend’s shoulder, giving it a supportive squeeze. “I know it must be hard.”

“You know I’ve let the crush go a while ago,” Mina reflected, “but yeah, seeing this side of Momo, it’s been a bit hard to not let those feelings resurface. But if anything, this showed me that even if she never dated Sana, we could never be together anyway.” Mina shrugged, and there was surprisingly no bitterness in her voice. A bit of longing, but that was all. 

Jihyo felt her heart ache for the girl, but she held in the pity, knowing Mina wouldn’t want to hear that right now. “Well, you know I’m always here for you. For however long you’re stuck like this.”

Mina’s bottom lip started to quiver slightly. “What if...we never switch back?” she asked, quietly. She hung her head, staring at her shoes once again. “What am I going to do?”

Jihyo put an arm around Mina, rubbing her side in an attempt to calm her. “Of course you’re going to switch back,” Jihyo assured. It was a lie, of course. She had no idea if Mina and Sana would switch back, cause they weren’t sure what caused it in the first place. Jihyo couldn’t tell Mina that, though, not when the girl was clearly upset. “And in the meantime, you have Sana and I to help. You know, I think telling a few more people might be a good idea, just so you don’t have to keep pretending to be Sana around them.” 

“Sana and I are going to tell Momo tomorrow,” Mina replied. “She deserves to know.”

“Good.” Jihyo pulled Mina even closer. “You know, before I was even sure about all this, I called Jeongyeon and told her my suspicions but she thought I was insane.”

Mina’s lips twitched up into a small smile. “She would have the hardest time believing this. I’m sure she’ll find out eventually. If not, I’ll—”  
  
As if on cue, the sound of distant stomping was beginning to grow louder and louder. Mina and Jihyo both turned their heads, eyes widening in horror. 

“You!” a voice yelled. There was Jeongyeon trudging toward them, pulling Sana behind her by the wrist. She marched right up to Mina and pointed a finger in her face. “How could you not tell me?” she demanded. 

“Well, that was fast,” Jihyo mumbled. Mina looked at Jihyo despite the finger being wagged in her face and snorted as she tried to choke down a laugh.

The sight of Jeongyeon trying to be intimidating was always a bit comical. Even now, Jeongyeon’s pout and over dramatic entrance was enough to crack up Jihyo and Mina both. Sana even had started to laugh at the sight of Mina and Jihyo losing it. 

“Hey!” Jeongyeon whined. She let go of Sana’s wrist, briefly forgetting she was still holding onto it. “What the fuck, guys?”

“I’m sorry,” Mina replied, after finally collecting herself. “We didn’t tell anyone.”

“I tried to tell you earlier,” Jihyo added, looking at Jeongyeon smugly. “You didn’t wanna hear it.”

Jeongyeon huffed, tucking her hair behind her ears. “Can you blame me though? This is—” she motioned from Mina to Sana “—impossible!”

Jihyo stepped forward and slapped Jeongyeon’s back. “And yet, here we are.”

“Maybe we should talk about this somewhere else,” Mina suggested. “Like, anywhere but a party.” Sana, Jihyo and Jeongyeon were all in agreement. The appeal of free drinks and dancing had all but vanished, anyway. They walked out the front door, into the chilly night air. It was after midnight now. 

The four girls began walking toward campus when Sana suddenly stopped, politely pulling on Mina’s dress to stop her as well. “Uh, Mina,” she began. “Nayeon will probably be looking for you.”

Suddenly feeling very dumb, Mina rubbed her temples and sighed. “Of course,” she murmured. “I don’t know what I was thinking.” 

But she did know what she was thinking, and Sana did too. She’d momentarily forgotten about the fact that she was still stuck in Sana’s life, and bound to the constrictions of it. That meant keeping in mind Sana’s friends, and not being able to go back with Jihyo and Jeongyeon, no matter how much she wanted to. 

“Remember, Momo will want to talk to you too,” Sana reminded her. “I would send her a text, if you haven’t already.” Sana looked at Mina's purse—her purse—wondering where Momo was at the moment and hoping she was okay. 

“I’ll make sure I talk to her tonight,” Mina assured. She looked past Sana to see Jihyo and Jeongyeon, who had stopped a bit further down the sidewalk. “I have to go find Nayeon,” she called to them. “We’ll have to talk tomorrow.”

Jeongyeon pressed her lips together, clearly disappointed, but she nodded in understanding anyway. “Will you be okay?” she asked. Her eyes were shining with concern, not wanting to wait until tomorrow to ask Mina the million questions she had buzzing around in her brain. 

“Of course,” Mina replied, putting on the most reassuring smile she could muster. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Sana can coordinate a time for us to meet, after the two of us talk to Momo, that is.”

So it was decided. Sana gave a nod of approval. “Let me know how things go with Momo, I’ll be up.” She gave Mina one last glance before she started walking forward to join Jeongyeon and Jihyo. Jeongyeon took a few steps before she looked back and gave Mina an apologetic wave. 

Mina watched them go. Her friends, whom she longed to laugh and joke with again. Her friends, who she was missing more every day. Living with Jihyo, she supposed she took the girl’s company for granted. And Jeongyeon was around all the time, so it was almost like she lived with them too. Mina was itching to tell them everything now that she could again.

But she’d have to wait a little bit longer, because she was needed elsewhere. No matter if her friends knew the truth, and Sana’s friends knew the truth, she’d still have to keep playing this game of pretend for the rest of the world.

Mina found Nayeon by herself, staring down at her phone as she sat on the front porch. Tapping the girl softly with the tip of her heel, Mina looked down at Nayeon and gave her a small grin. 

“There you are!” Nayeon cried, immediately standing up and pressing down her skirt, which had rode up slightly, with her hands. “I texted you!” She held out her phone in Mina’s face, waving it too wildly for Mina to even make out what was on the screen.

“Sorry, I haven’t checked my phone,” Mina replied, reaching into Sana’s purse and pulling out the girl’s phone. She had a few missed messages. Nothing from Momo, though. 

“Dahyun left and you didn’t even say goodbye!” Nayeon whined. “We both were looking for you.”

Mina began to fiddle with the ring on her right hand, turning away from Nayeon to look out at the surprisingly empty street in front of them. “I’ll make it up to her next time,” she murmured. “You haven’t heard from Momo at all, have you?” 

Nayeon turned to face the street as well, standing by Mina’s side. “No. You should try checking in with her though.” She hesitated a moment, biting on her right thumbnail before she seemingly thought better of it. “I think she’s having a hard time.”

The worry in Nayeon’s voice was obvious. She’d texted and even called Momo to make sure she made it home okay but got no response. Momo was like this when she was upset—reckless and impulsive. She liked to be left alone. It drove Nayeon crazy.

“I’m hoping she’ll wanna talk to me tonight,” Mina said. “Are you ready to head home?” 

Nayeon looked back at Jennie’s house, which still was filled with a good number of college students drinking and dancing. “I am. Let’s go.” She almost reached for Mina’s hand but stopped herself, letting her arm fall awkwardly at her side. Last week, she would have taken her best friend’s hand without hesitation. 

Nayeon liked to tuck Sana’s hand into her jacket pocket with her own. Their hands stayed warm like that, together and close.

But now, things felt different. As Nayeon sobered up completely, the realization about what was happening to her was becoming more and more apparent. She didn’t want to make things awkward between her and her best friend. 

Not over some stupid, silly, unattainable crush. 

So she’d keep her distance until she could get these messy, unwelcome _feelings_ under control. Because she’d be damned if she let this get in her way of her friendship of years between Sana and Momo both. She loved them both too much to hurt them like this.

As the two girls walked to the apartment, Nayeon snuck a peek at Mina, who looked lost in thought. Her side profile was lit up in an orangish hue from the overhead street lights. The small baby hairs falling in front of her ears curled slightly into cute little waves.

In that moment, Nayeon knew trying to keep her distance would be hopeless. 

  
  
  


The moment Mina stepped foot in Sana and Nayeon’s apartment, she texted Momo to check up on her. If she didn’t respond soon, she’d give Momo a call. After washing off her makeup and changing into pajamas, Sana’s phone buzzed. Mina picked it up and sighed in relief to see Momo had texted back. She asked if they could talk. 

Since Nayeon had retired into her room for the night, Mina figured Momo could easily slip in and they could talk in her room. Within minutes, the sound of the front door opening shook Mina out of her drowsy state. She sat at the kitchen counter in the dark, scrolling through social media as she waited.

The moment Momo stepped through the door, it was obvious to Mina that Momo was under a lot of distress. Her normally bright expression was completely void and blank. There were bags under her eyes, and the glasses she wore were slightly askew. She was wearing an oversized hoodie and sweats now. 

Mina stepped forward to greet her, yet all Momo could manage was to hang her head and look away. Without thinking, Mina reached toward her, but Momo was faster, stepping just out of Mina’s grasp. Startled, Mina’s hand hung awkwardly in the air—an unwanted gesture of comfort. Finally, Mina let her hand drop and she managed to mumble “my room” before turning around and heading back to Sana’s bedroom. Momo took a look toward Nayeon’s closed bedroom door before she continued behind Mina.

Mina shut the door behind Momo, and then stood beside the girl, who remained standing. “Sit,” Mina ordered, but Momo seemed to not hear her, or was completely ignoring her.

A thousand terrible thoughts ran through Mina’s head, so she sat on the edge of Sana’s bed, too afraid that her stress would make her tremble if she continued standing. Being in this situation was awkward and uncomfortable. Having a serious talk with her fake girlfriend about their fake relationship was not something Mina was looking forward to, especially when only one party currently knew it wasn’t real. 

There was a moment of cruel silence. Momo was obviously waging an internal war, searching for the right words to say. Finally her lifeless expression morphed into one of complete despair, starting with a trembling lip and ending with her eyes squeezing shut. She dropped to the ground so that her legs were tucked to her chest, making Mina jump in surprise. She buried her face into her knees, letting out a soft sob. 

Moving forward to put a hand on the girl’s back, Mina mumbled soft sounds of comfort, anything to try to put the girl at ease. She ended up on the floor besides the crying girl, rubbing her back rhythmically, trying to chase away the demons Momo was fighting. 

“I’m sorry,” Momo choked out, with a raw, deep voice. “I’m so sorry.” And then her face was buried again, and she was mumbling incoherent sentences against her own body. 

Seeing Momo like this instantly made Mina feel awful. She’d never seen Momo this upset before, not in all the years they’d known each other. 

“Momo, it’s okay,” Mina assured. She made her voice as soft and gentle as possible. 

“I messed up,” Momo groaned. “Oh god, what have I done?”

Mina began to rub Momo’s back more quickly, humming something soothing beside her ear. She had ended up on the floor beside the girl, tucked into a ball of her own. “What happened?” Mina asked, already knowing full well what was going on. “Nayeon mentioned you were suddenly feeling sick, which is why you left earlier…”

Momo swallowed thickly, taking a few deep breaths before she lifted her face, which was now red and tear stained. “At the party,” she began, speaking slowly. “I kissed Mina.”

There was no beating around the bush. Just Momo’s intense, guilt-laced eyes boring into Mina. 

Mina tried her best to feign surprise, which caught Momo’s attention and caused the girl to go into another momentary crying fit. Mina had stopped rubbing Momo’s back but remained close to the girl. 

“Oh,” was all she said, simply because she didn’t know what else to say. 

_Momo must hate me now,_ Mina thought, miserably. 

“She got close to me and leaned in and...I kissed her back without thinking. It was short but I did it all the same,” Momo cried, half into her forearms. “I’m so sorry,” she repeated. “I don’t know what came over me. I can’t believe I did this to you.”

Mina knew why Momo had done it without thinking—no doubt some part of her could sense the familiarity about the girl she believed to be Mina, though she didn’t know what was going on. “It’s okay, Momo,” Mina said, gently. 

There was no anger in her voice. No rage, jealousy, harshness. Everything Momo was bracing for never came to be, and that was almost worse, somehow. 

This Sana—a bit sad, and quiet—was being much kinder to Momo than she thought she deserved. 

“It’s not okay,” Momo replied, her voice swift and devastating like the lashing of a whip. “I _kissed_ Mina!”

Mina’s silence made Momo whimper, she put her hands on her head, rubbing roughly at her own skin. “Did you hear me?” she cried, almost angrily. 

“Yes,” Mina said. She scooted closer to Momo, softly placing a hand on the girl’s arm and forcing Momo’s hands away from her head. Mina didn’t have the energy to be mad at Momo, nor was it her place. “I heard you.”

“Why aren’t you angry?” Momo asked, letting more tears slide down her cheeks. “Yell at me! Scream at me! I cheated on you, Minatozaki Sana!”

“It was just a kiss,” Mina said. “It isn’t your fault.”

A growl erupted from Momo’s throat. “I’m telling you it is!” she yelled, reaching for Mina’s hands and taking them in her own. Then, more quietly and sadly she said, “I don’t deserve you.” 

A long sigh fell from Mina’s lips, and she squeezed back Momo’s hands in a silent reassurance. “Momo, you’re an amazing girlfriend.” Mina said it wholeheartedly. From both her outside perspective observing Momo and Sana from afar, and now her intimate first look, she knew that Momo adored Sana and treated her well. 

Ever since the first night of the switch, when Momo had cancelled their dinner plans, offering to carry Mina home, make her hot chocolate and tuck her into bed, Mina knew.

“Mistakes happen,” Mina continued. “I know how much you love Sa—er, uhm, me,” she corrected. Her cheeks were beginning to flame. “And the fact that you admitted it right away was very honorable.”

“You’re really not mad?” Momo asked, watching the girl beside her closely. She sniffled a bit, so Mina slid her hands apart from Momo’s so she could stand up and grab the girl a tissue from the box on Sana’s nightstand. 

“Here,” Mina replied, as she held the tissue out for Momo. Momo hesitantly took it, dabbing her eyes and rubbing her nose. “I’m not mad, because you’re obviously genuinely sorry. You could’ve kept this from me, but you didn’t. And for that, I am thankful.”

Mina leaned forward, and lightly placed a kiss on Momo’s cheek. She could taste the salt of Momo’s tears, still lingering as they were flowing almost nonstop. “Please don’t cry anymore, it hurts me to see you like this.”

The look Momo gave Mina following that was one of complete confusion. She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, willing the tears to stop. 

Sana had always been the jealous type. Not the overbearing, toxic kind, but she liked to keep Momo to herself and wasn’t shy about reminding her girlfriend that. 

_“Does it bother you that I’m jealous? Just because she gets to spend alone time with you?” Sana had asked her, one day, during lunch, after Momo had told her about the project she was working on with a classmate. There was a bit of a playful smile on her lips, but Momo could tell she was being serious._

_“No,” Momo admitted. “I like that.” And she did, truly. Part of Sana’s possessiveness was a bit attractive. Besides, Momo liked to think the girl only felt that way because she cared so much._

_When Momo hung out with a girl—Sana would always pry information about it out of Momo playfully, but Sana never stopped Momo from hanging out with other people. She trusted her, completely._

_“You never have to worry about me,” Momo had told her. “I only have eyes for you.”_

_Sana had cringed a bit, slapping Momo’s arm as she tried to contain her internal freak out._

But now...here was Sana, okay with the fact that Momo had crossed a line. A major line. 

“Everything’s all wrong these days,” Momo mumbled, rubbing her eyes. “I feel so lost.”

_You have no idea how much I relate right now,_ Mina thought. 

Mina knew then, telling Momo the truth tomorrow would definitely be the right thing to do. 

  
  
  
  



	5. starry eyed

The cafe was a bit packed at this time of morning. Nayeon squeezed her way through a crowd near the door to find Chaeyoung had luckily saved them a table for two.

It was a relief to see the girl’s friendly face. Though years separated them in age, it seemed Nayeon was always the one seeking Chaeyoung out for comfort and advice. Nayeon thought the girl was wiser than anyone else she knew, even though she’d never outwardly admit it. 

They settled into small talk at first—brushing up on topics neither one hadn’t brought up the day before at the escape room, which somehow felt like an entire lifetime ago. But Chaeyoung knew there was a reason Nayeon had invited her here, so she bluntly jumped straight to the point. 

“What’s going on?” Chaeyoung asked, after taking a sip of her tea. 

Nayeon sighed, wondering if her uneasiness was really that obvious. “The party last night was a bit of a mess.” An understatement. There had been Momo, running out for reasons Nayeon still didn’t understand. If Sana knew something, she was feigning ignorance, and Nayeon knew better than to involve herself in the couple’s drama. They always worked things out, after all.

But then there was the problem of Sana herself. 

Nayeon was drunk last night but she wasn’t drunk enough to forget the feeling of her hands on Sana’s waist. They’d been close like that countless times before, but something about this time felt different. The atmosphere was charged with something electric. And unless Nayeon was imagining things, there was a look on Sana’s face that was completely new. Something dangerous. 

Chaeyoung didn’t look surprised. “You’re kind of known to be a mess at parties, but continue.”

  
  
Frowning, Nayeon narrowed her eyes at the other girl. “I’m only telling you this because I can’t talk to anyone else about it.”

“Wow, and here I thought you enjoyed my company,” Chaeyoung quipped, but there was a small smile tugging at her lips. 

Nayeon huffed, crossing her arms. “You know I value your _sage_ advice,” she admitted, a bit shyly. Then she swallowed, buckling up to share the truth that she had been forced to come to terms with. “Recently I’ve developed _feelings_ for someone I’m not supposed to have feelings for.” She said “feelings” as if it were a dirty word. In this circumstance, it was.

Chaeyoung raised an eyebrow, clearly interested. Her older friend rarely crushed on anyone, having impossibly high standards. “And you feel guilty about it?” she guessed.

Sighing, Nayeon nodded. “It’s...weird. I don’t understand the feelings myself. They came out of nowhere. But it’s not my fault _this person_ seems so different recently.” 

Humming, Chaeyoung tilted her head to the side, observing Nayeon’s stressed disposition. 

“When you started liking Tzuyu, was it a gradual thing, or was it suddenly all at once that you couldn’t stop thinking about her?” Nayeon asked.

A smile flickered across Chaeyoung’s face, as it always did when someone brought up Tzuyu around her. “It was more gradual for me. I got butterflies the closer we became, but I knew I was in love with her for a long time before I confessed. I just didn’t have the courage to do it any sooner. She was my best friend, you know? I had to risk losing her when I did it.” 

Nayeon’s eyes shifted to the window, watching strangers pass by in a steady stream. Each one with their own life, and own complications. 

“It’s Sana,” Chaeyoung said, gently. 

Nayeon’s attention snapped forward once again, trying to not let the surprise show on her face. But she was an open book, coming undone before Chaeyoung. “What?”

Nodding in affirmation, Chaeyoung leaned back against her chair in satisfaction. “You have feelings for her.”

Nayeon closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. “I’m a terrible person, aren’t I?”

Reaching across the table, Chaeyoung placed a reassuring hand on top of Nayeon’s. She could feel the girl’s heartbeat fluttering forward like an unsteady bird. “You’re not. You’re just human.”

“She’s in a happy relationship with someone she loves more than anything. And I love them both. So why did this happen, out of nowhere?” Nayeon rubbed her temples, thinking about how the universe was laughing at her in this moment.

“You can’t control how you feel,” Chaeyoung stressed. “Feelings just happen. Things are complicated.”

“I’m so fucked, Chaeng,” Nayeon replied, groaning. 

“You kind of are, yeah,” Chaeyoung agreed, making Nayeon let out a sad-sounding, breathy laugh. “It’ll probably pass. Crushes come and go. But if it doesn’t, you might wanna be honest with her.”

The thought of confessing to Sana made Nayeon’s stomach churn. Where would she begin? She wouldn’t even be able to make eye contact with her. “And what would I tell her exactly? ‘I have a crush on you even though you’re dating Momo’?” 

“I mean, essentially. You can word it a bit more eloquently than that,” Chaeyoung said. 

“What if she hates me?” Nayeon asked. She could envision the anger and disappointment in Sana’s eyes now. “What if she wants nothing to do with me anymore? I’ll have to move out, find a new apartment mid-semester…I’ll lose my best friend...”

Chaeyoung looked at Nayeon with pity. “It’s Sana we’re talking about here. She’s not gonna let something like this tear apart your friendship, especially when you’re just being honest with her. It’s not like you’d ever ask her to break up with Momo.”

Sighing loudly, Nayeon limply nodded. Chaeyoung couldn’t remember the last time she saw her proud friend looking this defeated. 

“Cheer up, will you? You don’t even know how long these feelings are going to last.”

Sipping her coffee, Nayeon tried not to think about the possibility of her feelings _never_ going away. What if they just followed her around for eternity, antagonizing her? Taunting her with something she could never have? That would be hell—watching Sana be happy with someone else for the rest of her life.

No, she couldn’t possibly accept that future for herself. Nayeon knew what she’d have to do to try to make the feelings go away, but it wasn’t gonna be easy. It was gonna hurt. 

The coffee burned her tongue before it slid down her throat.

  
  


◆◆◆

  
  


Sana hadn’t been able to sleep until about 4 or 5AM the night before. Jeongyeon had stayed over Mina and Jihyo’s apartment, pestering Sana with all kinds of questions about the switch. Eventually Jihyo had kicked Jeongyeon out, grumbling about how it was nearly 3AM and they all needed to get to bed. After that, Sana couldn’t help but toss and turn, wondering how Mina and Momo’s talk had gone. 

Mina had sent her a text shortly after that, saying Momo was staying overnight. Things were fine but the girl was still understandably distraught. At the thought of Momo so upset, Sana’s stomach churned. She knew telling Momo the truth in the morning had to be done. So upon waking up, her and Mina had formulated a plan.

Sana hated lying to Momo, but she knew it’d be the only way she’d agree to talk with her and Mina both after what happened at the party last night. Since Nayeon was going out for breakfast with Chaeyoung, the timing was perfect. 

Bouncing back and forth on the balls of her feet, Sana nervously raised a hand to knock on her own apartment door. It was odd how she felt like a stranger there now. 

In her head last night, Sana had planned out exactly what she was going to say to Momo. She mentally rehearsed it until she had drifted off into a bit of restless sleep. But now, with the moment about to arrive, she felt sick. She wasn’t sure how Momo was going to react to the news, and not knowing terrified her. 

She knew Momo better than she knew herself. The way the girl thought, and how she viewed the world. How she acted when she felt cornered, and what scared her the most. But this...this scenario was unprecedented. Nothing could prepare neither Momo or Sana for this. 

Sana knocked, and a half a minute later the door opened. A nervous Mina peeked out and then opened the door fully, wordlessly letting Sana in. The two girls looked at each other a moment, pausing before heading toward the bedroom. 

“Let me do most of the talking,” Sana implored. “But feel free to jump in when you can.”

Mina nodded, sighing a bit before walking forward. There was no going back.

“Who was that?” Momo called from the open door of the bedroom. Then, Mina entered, followed by Sana, and Momo was instantly on edge. 

“Momo,” Sana said, softly. The girl didn’t even look at her. Instead, she looked off to the side with unfocused eyes. “We have something really important to tell you. I just need you to promise to let me finish before you say anything, okay?”

Momo swallowed. The tone the girl spoke with was off—not at all Mina-like—and it made the hair on Momo’s neck stand on end. Momo glanced over at Mina with wide, guilty eyes. 

Mina could sense Momo was begging her for some kind of explanation, so she cleared her throat. “Please,” Mina added. “Everything will make sense once you hear us out.”

And just like that, Momo nodded obediently, though she still looked like a cornered animal. She was not expecting to be confronted by the girl who had kissed her last night, knowing full well she was in a relationship. And the fact that her girlfriend was letting this confrontation happen only confused her more.

“Last Wednesday, something happened to us both,” Sana started, motioning between her and Mina.

Mina could immediately sense the direction Sana was taking this in. She was going to walk Momo into it as slowly and carefully as possible, instead of coming clean immediately. It was out of care and concern, Mina realized. 

Sana always had a certain gentleness when it came to Momo. Despite the somewhat intimidating persona she put off whenever Mina saw her around campus, she was always softer around her girlfriend. And now in this moment, it was no different. 

“We were walking past each other and I slipped on the stairs. She tried to catch me but I ended up taking her down with me instead. We both fell and hit our heads together on the way down.”

The story was familiar to Momo, she recognized it from the explanation she was given on Wednesday night after dance class. But from what she could recall, it was Sana who had slipped. Not Mina…

“We’re not sure how it happened, or why,” Sana continued. “But Mina and I...we switched bodies.”

There was a silent beat. Momo did not hide the confusion on her face, and she let out a sound of disbelief. She immediately looked at Mina, again begging for any sort of clarification. That’s when Mina knew it was her time to talk now.

“It’s true,” Mina stated, looking at Momo while swallowing her guilt. “I’m not Sana.” She paused, suddenly unable to hold Momo’s stare any longer. “I’m Mina,” she added, quietly. 

“I’m Sana,” Sana clarified, stepping forward toward Momo. “The one who kissed you at the party last night was me. I was drunker than I realized and I messed up. I’m sorry.” She paused, swallowing the lump in her throat. “We were trying to keep it a secret, pretending to be each other until we switched back, but that still obviously hasn’t happened.”

Momo stared down at her folded hands, most certainly deep in thought, as her brow was creased as it so often was when she was thinking hard. “Wednesday night...when you said you were feeling sick,” Momo began, lifting her head to stare at Mina. “That was you, Mina? That was the beginning of all this?”

Mina was surprised to hear Momo address her by her actual name. Did she really believe Mina and Sana so easily? 

“Yes,” Mina breathed out. “I was scared and I didn’t know what to do, so playing sick seemed like the only option,” she admitted. “Plus, Sana left me alone so I didn’t really have any other choice.”

“It seemed funny at the time,” Sana muttered. “To let Mina get that flustered.” She didn’t say more than that though, and Mina let out a sigh of relief. Part of her believed that her crush on Momo would be exposed today, but now it seemed like perhaps Sana would keep that to herself. 

Sana could see the gears spinning in Momo’s head as she recalled every odd moment that had happened recently. 

“Sana” rejecting Momo’s offer to baby her that Wednesday night. “Sana” getting scared later when Momo snuck in during the middle of the night. “Sana” being hesitant and shy with her affection—not giving Momo goodbye kisses on the tip of her nose. “Sana” being hellbent on getting through the escape room. “Sana” not saying anything about the fact that Momo wore the dress she had bought for her to the party last night. “Sana” feeling oddly distant and not smiling and laughing as much.

And then there was Mina. “Mina” seeming completely off during their last dance practice. “Mina” crying in her arms, telling Momo she missed her and begging her not to go. “Mina” tracing circles on Momo’s back in the spot that Sana so often exploited and touched. “Mina” kissing her gently but with urgency. The shape and pressure of Mina’s lips somehow feeling familiar to Momo. Momo’s body reacting to the kiss as if on its own accord. Autopilot. 

Thinking about all this made the room start to spin around Momo. There was no way this was possible, right? Sana was Sana and Mina was Mina. There was simply no other option. 

And yet, the more Momo thought about it. The more it made sense. A wave of dread washed over her, at the same time coupled with relief. If the two girls in front of her were telling the truth, then Momo had actually kissed her girlfriend last night. 

But that also meant last Thursday, she had kissed Mina. 

Momo curled her hands into fists and rubbed her knuckles against her temples in circles, trying to combat the headache she could feel forming. 

“I’m so sorry,” Sana said. Her heart ached at the sight of Momo in this state of confusion. “I know it’s a lot to take in…” She wanted to go to Momo and crawl into her lap, sprinkling her face with kisses, but she knew she couldn’t do that now. 

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Momo asked, finally making eye contact with Sana. Her voice sounded a bit hoarse, laced with accusation. “As soon as it happened?”

Mina stepped forward, ready to shield Sana from the blame. “I told her we shouldn’t tell anyone,” she explained. “I thought no one might believe us, or worse, they would and they’d report us. We’d be taken away, poked, prodded and experimented on. I was afraid.” Mina swallowed, realizing how silly those fears sounded now. “I also thought we’d change back right away too. Like it was just some fluke in the universe that would be immediately corrected.” Her voice trailed off. “Sana always wanted to tell you, but I convinced her not to. I’m sorry.”

But then Sana stepped forward too, looking over at Mina with eyes that sparkled with what looked like newfound respect. “I listened to Mina because I was scared, too,” Sana admitted. She turned to glance at Momo. “At first, the situation seemed like it was fated to happen, so I tried to embrace it. But as soon as I saw you at Mina’s dance class and I realized you would never recognize me, that’s when the fear really set in. In the back of my mind, I was afraid you might not believe me if I tried to tell you the truth. Or you would, and everything would change.” 

“That’s why I decided to not tell you, or anyone else. Because doing nothing helped me pretend that maybe everything would go back to normal soon, and let me continue to hold onto the past. It was pathetic, really,” Sana said, smiling weakly. The smile dropped from her face quickly though, and she let out a small sigh. “Now we’re both not sure if we’ll ever switch back.” She crossed her arms, as if to hold herself. “This could be permanent.” 

A wave of silence washed over the room. Sana had admitted the forbidden truth that both girls tried their best to avoid, and saying it out loud made it seem all the more real. The thought made a chill run down Mina’s spine. 

Momo slowly stood. She opened her mouth to say something, but changed her mind and bit her lip. She rocked forward on her heels once, looking at Sana shyly, before she crossed the small space between them and pulled her into a tight hug. 

Sana’s breath caught in her throat as Momo’s warmth engulfed her. It felt different from the warmth of last night. Partially because she wasn’t drunk, but also because Momo was hugging her knowing who she actually was. The relief that came with this fact was enough to let Sana melt into her girlfriend. Sana glanced at Mina, who gave her an approving nod, before Sana returned Momo’s hug tightly. 

The two stood like that for a few minutes, silent and unmoving. Just holding onto each other. 

Mina felt as though she was witnessing some private, sacred moment that she wasn’t meant to see. It made her feel a bit out of place and uncomfortable, although she was happy for both of the girls. Surely, this is what they both needed. 

Surprisingly, Mina didn’t feel jealous at all. Especially now that she knew what it felt like to be hugged and embraced by Momo on that same level. Deciding to slip out of the room quietly, Mina closed the door behind her to give the couple some privacy. 

“What are we supposed to do? Can we still be together, even when I’m like this?” Sana asked, with a trembling whisper. Momo finally let her go, and the two girls sat down on Sana’s bed side by side. 

Momo took in the sight of Sana—who now had Mina’s wide eyes, and her slightly parted lips. It was odd, knowing it was Sana underneath. It had been Sana this whole time. “I don’t know,” Momo replied, honestly. The statement was enough to make Sana sag slightly, so Momo reached out and took one of her hands, squeezing it reassuringly. 

“You’ll still have to pretend to be Mina in public, right?” Momo asked, thinking out loud. “So we might have to stick to only seeing each other in private for a bit, at least until you switch back. But if you don’t switch back…” her voice trailed off and she bit her lip.

“It’s hard to think about, but it’s a possibility,” Sana continued. “If Mina and I are stuck like this, the only thing I know is that I don’t want to lose you.” 

The look in Sana’s eyes was intense and genuine. It made Momo break eye contact. “You won’t,” Momo assured. “If this is...permanent...and we want to be together without hiding, that means we’d have to make everyone think you and I broke up, and that I’m dating Mina instead.” 

“We’d have to break up to stay together,” Sana repeated. The irony of the situation was enough to make her let out a harsh laugh. “I guess we can talk about that more later. Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”

Momo scooched closer to Sana, so that their knees were touching. Her face began to heat up though, as she drew her eyes away from Sana’s legs. 

It didn’t go unnoticed by Sana, who tilted her head to the side slightly as she studied her girlfriend. This level of shyness was something she hadn’t felt from Momo since they first started dating. “This must make you really uncomfortable,” she said, sadly. “The fact that I look like one of your friends now…”

“It’s strange,” Momo admitted. “But I’m sure I’ll get used to it.”

Sana pulled both knees up to her chest, hugging them. “I’m not sure I’ll ever be used to it myself. Every time I look in the mirror I see a stranger.” Though she had begun to get used to Mina’s reflection, it still sometimes caught her off guard. “Do you think you’ll ever be able to see me and not think of her?”

The answer was one Sana was scared to know, but she asked anyway. 

Momo pressed her lips together, considering the question. “It may take awhile,” Momo speculated. There was her honestly again, painful, but Sana appreciated it nonetheless. “But I know I’ll be able to.” She said the last bit with conviction, looking Sana directly in the eye. 

“How do you know?” Sana asked, softly. 

“Because I love you.” 

She said it as if it were the simplest thing in the world. As if it were a truth as solid as the bedrock beneath them. As if her love could conquer anything. And with the pure and genuine smile on Momo’s face, Sana believed it actually just might. 

Sana hummed, then leaned her head against Momo’s shoulder. It was solid, too. After spending a few days on her own, it felt nice to lean against it again. It felt like home. 

“I’ll love you no matter what you look like,” Momo promised her. “I know it sounds cheesy,” she added as an afterthought, “but it’s true.” 

Sana giggled at that, lifting her head so she could look up at her girlfriend. “It’s so not,” she teased. “You would’ve never fallen for me if I wasn’t the second prettiest girl in school.” 

“And let me guess, I’m the prettiest?” Momo asked, with hooded eyes, and a sly smile. “And I thought I was being cheesy here.” 

“Of course.” A grin spread on Sana’s face. “But you know, I still remember what you told me about Mina before we started dating.” 

Momo let out a scoff. “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she whined, clearly lying. She always whined when she knew Sana was about to tease her. 

“Mina’s so hot,” Sana said, doing her best at impersonating Momo in an overexaggerated way that made the girl pout. 

“First off, I do not sound like that,” Momo objected, clearly offended. “And second, I didn’t say it like that!”

Sana’s grin turned devilish. “But you’re not _denying_ saying it, though,” she prodded, raising an eyebrow.

Momo looked away, mumbling to herself. Her cheeks continued to turn even more red, betraying her. “You’re so annoying. Mina is attractive, okay?” Momo mumbled. 

“You’re not wrong,” Sana replied, smiling smugly. “Maybe this will be more fun than I thought after all.”

Smacking Sana’s forearm, Momo rolled her eyes. “Shut up!” 

Sana giggled again, enjoying seeing Momo so flustered.

This is what Momo had missed. This Sana. If there were any thoughts in her mind now that this all was an elaborate lie, they instantly evaporated. Momo smiled fondly for a moment before she seemed to snap out of a daze. She glanced toward the bedroom door with a worried expression on her face.

Sana knew that look. Momo was concerned for Mina. Mina, who was probably politely waiting outside, not quite knowing what to do with herself. 

After Sana and Momo talked a bit more, Sana would go and get Mina so the three could talk together again. But for now. Sana really needed this alone time with her girlfriend. 

“Does anyone else know, besides me?” Momo asked, suddenly.

“Jihyo, you’ve met her before, right? And Jeongyeon. Mina’s friends.” 

Momo nodded, having met both girls before but never really having gotten to know them. They always came to watch Mina during recitals, and Jeongyeon, who had been dating Mina at the time, had come by the studio a handful of times. 

“We didn’t tell either of them,” Sana assured, seeing Momo give her a questioning look as to why Mina’s friends knew before her. “Jihyo overheard a conversation between Mina and I and guessed it. She told Jeongyeon, who didn’t believe it at first but ended up realizing it was true.”

“I should’ve figured it out on my own,” Momo murmured. Sana wasn’t sure if the statement was directed at her, or if it was just Momo talking out loud as she did sometimes. “You were so…different all the sudden. And I couldn’t figure out why. I thought I did something wrong.”

Momo hung her head, and Sana pressed her lips together, feeling her guilt resurface. “How were you supposed to know?” Sana asked. “Something like this isn’t possible. The second someone’s girlfriend starts acting weird they don’t think “oh, I guess my girlfriend must’ve switched bodies with someone else.” It was said in a joking manner, but Momo’s face remained serious and distraught. 

Sana’s smile turned into a frown again, seeing that. 

“And at the party, you said something about my dress...and then the kiss,” Momo shook her head. “It really freaked me out, Sana.”

“I’m sorry,” Sana replied. “It was so stupid and selfish of me…”

“I thought,” Momo continued, “why does everything about this seem familiar? It made me feel so guilty…”

“That must mean you know me well,” Sana said. “Part of you figured it out without realizing it.” 

Momo shrugged, not looking convinced. “I was mad at Mina too, for doing that to me. Now I feel bad for even feeling that way about her. 

“It’s not like you actually said anything to her about it,” Sana assured. “I’m the one you walked away from.” Though she was drunk when that happened, Sana still remembered that vividly. She had a feeling it would be a moment that followed her for a long time. “I was going to tell you the truth then, but you ran away from me too fast.”

“And then I went to Mina afterward and made a fool of myself,” Momo said, rubbing her eyes and groaning as she remembered how much she had cried last night. She had never cried in front of Mina before. And yet, Mina had handled it so graciously and politely. 

“Did Mina treat you well?” Sana asked, leaning closer to her girlfriend. She was genuinely curious how Mina did filling her shoes.

Momo nodded. “She was almost too polite, now that I think about it.” No wonder she’d thought Sana had become a bit distant—surely Mina had been uncomfortable with doing coupley things with her. 

But there was that kiss outside…it was odd now, knowing it had been Mina that leaned in first, and not Sana…

Momo wondered what was going on in Mina’s mind at that moment, but she didn’t dwell on the thought. “Are you going to tell Nayeon today, too?” Momo asked. 

The thought of telling Nayeon had occurred to Sana, but it also terrified her. Nayeon was a lot less likely to forgive and move on than Momo was, and her expectations were a bit higher, so the fact that Sana had hid this from her best friend as long as she did was no doubt going to make her angry. 

“Soon,” Sana assured. “I have to take this one step at a time.” 

She knew she couldn’t keep Nayeon in the dark forever. She’d have to face her judgmental glare eventually. But not today, not when Momo knew now, and she could finally hold the girl in her arms again. 

  
  


◆◆◆

  
  


After about ten minutes, the bedroom door opened and Sana and Momo emerged, finding Mina sitting at the kitchen counter in silence, tapping her fingers. She looked up at their entrance, a bit relieved to see that everything between them appeared okay. 

“We want to talk with you about our relationship,” Sana began. She almost reached out for Momo’s hand by instinct, but quickly stopped herself, not wanting to make a show of it in front of Mina. “Since you’re now kind of involved, too.”

Mina pressed her lips together, paling at the words. She knew this was going to be an awkward conversation but she still wasn’t prepared. 

“Sana and I want to still make things work, like this,” Momo continued. “But given the circumstances we want to see how you feel about it since...well…” her voice trailed off and she cleared her throat. 

Sitting up straighter, Mina considered their words. “I don’t want to come between you two,” she stated, simply. “I want you to be together.”

“That means…” Sana looked at Momo. “That her and I…” she pointed between the two of them, “we’ll be doing...girlfriend things.” 

They both looked at Mina sheepishly. 

Mina stood up, crossing her arms. “You don’t have to talk to me like I’m a child,” she mumbled, pouting slightly. “I know what that means, and I’m fine with that.”

“Really?” Momo asked, earnestly. She was biting back a grin. 

Nodding, Mina shrugged. “I mean, that’s not me anymore,” she waved in Sana’s direction. “For the time being, anyway. Just try not to tarnish my reputation.” She could feel the tips of her ears turning red.

“Same goes to you,” Sana said, sticking out her tongue. 

Momo stepped forward, moving closer to Mina and leaving Sana’s side. She stood on the opposite side of the kitchen island, facing Mina. “I’m sorry I put you through all that. If I would’ve known it was you and not Sana I never would’ve…” she paused, “...been so touchy.”

This was mortifying. Mina wanted to turn around and leave immediately, especially with Sana watching this all unfold. “It’s not your fault, you didn’t know,” Mina assured. Now her cheeks were burning red, as well as her ears. Her voice was a bit higher and squeaky than normal, like it always got when she spoke with Momo. In the bedroom earlier, she had had a sense of bravery, but now that all melted away as Momo was finally seeing her for who she actually was. She couldn’t hide behind Sana’s face anymore. 

“Still, it must’ve made you really uncomfortable,” Momo continued, letting her hands trail along the countertop nervously. 

Mina swallowed, sensing Sana’s curious and knowing eyes on her. Momo too was clearly waiting for a reaction. “It’s fine,” Mina dismissed. “I meant what I said last night when I said you’re an amazing girlfriend. Sana is lucky to have you.” Though she could feel her throat tightening up, a tell-tale sign that tears were on their way if she wasn’t careful, Mina managed a small smile at Momo.

Momo was clearly a bit flustered too. “Well, thanks,” she said, scratching the back of her neck. Sana moved to join the girls, standing around the counter. “But I’m luckier to have Sana.”

Turning to look over at Sana, Momo gave the girl a cheeky grin. Sana let out an embarrassed but secretly amused huff. 

“Since Jihyo knows the truth about everything, you’re welcome to go over to my place to spend time with Sana,” Mina said to Momo. She hadn’t actually talked to Jihyo about it, but she knew it would be fine. 

Momo murmured a thanks, knowing her roommate would probably start questioning the sudden appearance of a new girl at their apartment, while Sana would be nowhere to be found. 

“We’ll still have to keep up some appearances though, won’t we?” Mina asks, nervously playing with her nails. “Especially since Nayeon doesn’t know yet.”

“If Momo’s not here every other night Nayeon will get suspicious,” Sana confirmed. “You two should play girlfriends a little bit longer, at least until the time is right to tell her.” She hated having to say that, but the thought of telling Nayeon right now made her sick. 

If Momo was water, calming and unmalleable, Nayeon was fire, searing and unforgiving. Sana wasn’t sure if Nayeon would ever forgive her for hiding this from her.

Mina and Momo dutifully nodded, though the thought made Mina want to squirm. 

“Well, I have to get going, I’m meeting Jeongyeon and Jihyo,” Mina murmured, thinking now was a good time to get away. “Nayeon will probably be back in about a half an hour, just so you both know.” 

Sana suddenly started skipping toward Mina before pulling her into a hug. Mina, startled, hesitated a moment before returning the favor. 

“Thank you,” Sana said, before releasing Mina.

“For what?” Mina asked, cocking her head slightly. 

Sana simply smiled, feeling like a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders after all this. “Just for being you.” 

They’d had their ups and downs, surely, but again, Sana couldn’t help but feel grateful that she’d been stuck in this situation with Mina.

Mina didn’t quite know what to say, so she simply smiled and nodded. She wouldn’t say it, but she was grateful for Sana, too. Without another word, Mina gave Momo and Sana an awkward wave, put on Sana’s shoes, and headed out the door. 

  
  


◆◆◆

  
  


“Okay wait, walk me through it again,” Jeongyeon exclaimed, leaning forward and staring intently at Mina, who was standing in front of her.

Mina and Jihyo both groaned, simultaneously rolling their eyes. ‘I’ve already explained it to you three times,” Mina whined. “Sana tripped on the stairs, I tried to catch her but we both ended up falling instead. We hit our heads together on the way down. Next thing I know…” her voice trailed off.

“You didn’t say anything to her before she tripped?” Jeongyeon asked, as if she were some amateur detective reviewing all the details of a new case. 

“We both just smiled and waved,” Mina said, crossing her arms. “That’s it. Besides, why would that matter, anyway?”

Jeongyeon leaned back against the couch she was sitting on, stroking her chin. “Interesting, interesting. I don’t know, I’m just trying to consider all possibilities. There has to be more to it.” 

“There’s really not,” Mina replied, frustrated. Recounting the situation was making her increasingly more agitated. “I wish there was something else, but there’s not. I’ve done extensive research on the subject and I can’t find anything legitimate to explain what happened.” 

“Maybe the universe is trying to teach you a lesson?” Jihyo proposed. “Maybe once you learn it, you’ll both switch back?” 

The thought had crossed Mina’s mind as well, many times. But if that was the case, what was she supposed to learn that she hadn’t already? She’d been reminded, a bit cruelly, that she definitely wasn’t the girl Momo wanted. And after a bit of time, she’d come to terms with it. Now what? 

Mina sighed. “If this were a drama, that’d be it. But sometimes I don’t think the universe is that simple.” 

There was a minute of heavy silence. 

  
“So you really have to pretend to be her, huh?” Jeongyeon mused, leaning back against the couch.

  
  
Mina, who had begun pacing the length of the living room and kitchen, shrugged her shoulders. “Well, what else am I supposed to do?” she asked, a bit snappily. Honestly, she was all ears for suggestions. She’d do anything at this point to be back in her own body. 

“At least you don’t have to pretend around us anymore,” Jihyo said, swooping in to try to ease any building tension. “And Momo now, either.”

At the mention of Momo, Jeongyeon crossed and uncrossed her legs. “What’s it like, actually being with her?” She looked at Mina curiously. Luckily there was no jealousy or malice in her voice, just pure curiosity. 

This had been Mina’s dream for quite some time, after all.

Mina stopped pacing, standing in the living room in front of the couch. “It was...nice,” she admitted, meekly. “But I couldn’t exactly enjoy it.”

Jeongyeon could see the unspoken weight behind those words from the frown that settled on Mina’s face. “What have you done together?” Jeongyeon asked. 

Though talking with Jeongyeon about it was slightly awkward, Mina was grateful to finally get some of this stuff off her chest to someone other than Sana. “We went out for lunch the day after the switch. And I…we...kissed,” she admitted. 

Jihyo and Jeongyeon both looked surprised. Before they could launch into some sort of lecture, Mina held up a hand. “Sana knows. I told her last night.” 

“Damn,” Jeongyeon murmured, raising her eyebrows. 

“Momo and Sana’s relationship is a bit...hands on,” Mina explained, feeling herself blushing. “I kind of just had to go with it.” 

There was only some truth to that statement.

“Did you guys…?” Jihyo didn’t even have to finish the sentence for Mina to know exactly what she was implying.

Violently shaking her head, Mina cried out: “No! I wouldn’t do that.” Her voice came out squeaky. 

Jihyo and Jeongyeon looked at each other smugly. 

“I would never do that to Momo or Sana!” Mina yelled, face turning red.

“God, your voice is so much louder now,” Jeongyeon replied, rubbing her ears over dramatically.

Placing a hand on Mina’s shoulder, Jihyo gave the girl a grin. “We know that,” Jihyo assured. 

“We’re just making up for lost time since it’s been a few days since we actually teased you,” Jeongyeon added, mouth quirking up into a lazy smile. 

Mina pouted, and both Jeongyeon and Jihyo cooed. They opened their arms, gesturing for her to join them on the couch. Sighing, Mina collapsed between them, crossing her arms. 

“Pretty funny how you ended up in Sana’s body, isn’t it?” Jeongyeon said, after a minute. “Out of all the people to switch with…” 

“It could have been worse,” Jihyo added, trying to look on the bright side. “Much, much worse.” 

Absentmindedly, Mina began rubbing her head in the spot where Sana’s head had collided with her own. “If I wouldn’t have tried to catch Sana when she was falling, this never would’ve happened. Or if I had stayed in the practice room just a few seconds longer…”

It was frustrating, thinking of how easily this whole mess could’ve been avoided. There really were so many coincidences that led up to it, that it really did seem almost like fate. 

“If you didn’t try to catch Sana that would’ve kind of been a dick move,” Jeongyeon interjected. After Jihyo gave her a pointed look, Jeongyeon placed a hand gently on Mina’s knee. “You’re a good person, of course your first instinct was to try and catch her.” 

Leaning her head back against the couch, Mina shut her eyes and groaned. “And look where it got me.”

“Things will be okay,” Jihyo assured, giving Mina a warm smile. “We’ll figure it out, together.” 

_Together._ It felt incredibly nice for Mina to hear that she was no longer in this alone. Sure, she’d always had Sana, but their rocky relationship wasn’t exactly the most solid foundation. She knew she could lean on Jeongyeon and Jihyo for anything. 

“Thank you,” Mina whispered, truly thankful for her friends.

  
  


◆◆◆

  
  


The next day, Sana decided they should get around to telling Nayeon the truth about the switch. After all, the longer they waited, the worse the reveal would be. Mina agreed—though the thought of doing so terrified her. The idea of Nayeon being upset with her, to the point of not wanting to talk to either her or Sana again, crossed her mind. 

_I think we should confront her together,_ Sana had texted Mina. _She’ll have a harder time believing us than Momo._

The problem was, for whatever reason, Nayeon had inexplicably decided to go MIA. Mina waited at Sana’s apartment by herself for most of the afternoon, getting her homework done and waiting for Nayeon to arrive. But hours went by, and the girl still wasn’t home. 

According to Sana, this kind of behavior from Nayeon wasn’t completely unusual—the timing was just inconvenient. Both Mina and Sana were growing antsy with anticipation, just wanting to rip off the band-aid at this point and tell her the truth. 

Mina had texted Nayeon, asking when she’d be home, only to get no reply. Apparently this _was_ unusual for Nayeon. Sana told Mina that Nayeon almost always replied within an hour at most. For some reason, an awful feeling was growing in the pit of Mina’s stomach. She wasn’t sure why she was so worried by Nayeon’s absence, but she was. 

She’d gotten used to the other girl’s presence in the apartment. Even when they were both in their rooms, it was still nice to know someone else was there. Without Nayeon, it felt a bit lonely. 

Mina took the time to make herself dinner and try to clear her head. But after dinner, putting away dishes, she found herself staring at the blue and green mugs in the cupboard that Nayeon had used to make her hot chocolate on the very first night of the switch. 

Finally, a text lit up Sana’s phone screen, and Mina grabbed the phone like lightning, opening the message. It was from Nayeon.

_Sorry I took so long to respond. Just cramming for an exam. Be home late tonight._

Mina breathed a sigh of relief. Of course Nayeon just had school work. She wasn’t sure why she was so worried. Mina let Sana know they’d have to tell Nayeon the truth tomorrow. 

  
  


◆◆◆

  
  


Nayeon hated lying to Sana. 

It left a sour taste in her mouth. But, she’d convinced herself that staying away from Sana for some time was what she needed to do. Nayeon needed to clear her head and get a grip on these inconvenient feelings before they grew into something too strong to ignore. 

Last night at the party, Momo had said Nayeon was good at lying, and she was right. It came naturally to Nayeon, though she didn’t like it. The compliment had been a backhanded one—one that would’ve stung more had Momo not looked so distraught and on edge in that moment, enough for Nayeon to get over her wounded ego and feel only concern for her friend instead. 

Last year, when Momo and Sana had been dating for a few months, Nayeon found herself in the middle of them both. Momo had been incredibly busy with classwork. Sophomore year had been relentless for her as she struggled to keep up with dance and classes. It started with a weekend when the three girls had been invited to a party. 

Sana was eager to go and let loose, drinking off the stress of the week, but Momo couldn’t afford to party, not when her recital was coming up. Momo, being a perfectionist, was practicing nearly 24/7. With Momo being unable to go, Sana had elected to stay home, but Momo had encouraged her to go out and have fun without her. Although she felt a bit guilty, Sana had eventually given in and went out with Nayeon as Momo wished.

After a few drinks, Sana could be a bit unpredictable. Nayeon knew to keep a close eye on the girl—but that could be a bit difficult when she herself was a major lightweight with little self control. Momo was usually their anchor, keeping them both under control. But with Momo absent that night, both girls got a bit more crazier than either would’ve liked. 

Sana was naturally flirty, but after a few drinks, she was even worse. Nothing happened of course, Sana would _never_ cheat on Momo, but she’d regretted the night enough that Sana had made Nayeon promise to never breathe a word of this again, especially to Momo. 

Even when Momo had asked Nayeon about how the night had gone directly, Nayeon had lied, saying it went smoothly. She felt guilty, of course, but Nayeon couldn’t betray her best friend. Sometimes, Nayeon believed, little white lies were what held relationships together. 

You’d think that would’ve been the end of it...but it happened again with another party. And this time, Momo ended up surprising Nayeon and Sana both by showing up late, just in time to see Sana talking to some guy that Momo had never seen before. She was giggling hysterically, and Momo could tell she was beyond drunk. Irresponsibly so. Momo swept in immediately, pulling Sana outside. 

The fresh air helped Sana sober up quickly, and she became an apologetic mess. Nayeon, who had seen a glimpse of Momo entering the house and nearly fell off the couch because of it, felt the guilt weigh heavy on herself again. Through her drunken haze, she knew her and Sana had majorly messed up. 

Momo, kind to a fault, forgave Sana and Nayeon both with only minor scolding. Both girls agreed to never let themselves get that drunk again, at least not without Momo around. But despite Momo’s forgiveness, Nayeon could always sense that Momo was a bit scarred by what happened—hence the comment at the party last night. 

And Nayeon would spend every day trying to make up for that. She’d promised to never lie to her friends again. 

Well, that hadn’t lasted too long. 

Earlier this morning, Nayeon had texted Momo to make sure the girl was alright. She’d heard the apartment door opening late last night and could only assume Momo and Sana were working out whatever had gone horribly wrong at the party. According to Momo’s texts, she felt better now. So it seemed Sana and Momo had patched up another hiccup in their relationship as smoothly as they had the others before it. 

Nayeon spent part of her day at Dahyun’s dorm, grateful for the girl’s company. Dahyun always managed to calm Nayeon down and boost her spirits. Besides, though Dahyun was generally goofy when their group of friends hung out together, the girl was quite the opposite one on one. Surprisingly quiet and thoughtful, Dahyun could tell that something was on Nayeon’s mind, but she didn’t pry. She let Nayeon find sanctuary in her room.

Afterwards, Nayeon headed out to the mall to shop for clothes. She tried a bunch of things on, but only ended up buying one pair of jeans. It was only 8PM then, still too early to go home. Nayeon decided to kill more time by going to the library, getting a little work done and some recreational reading in. 

As she sat down at a table on the third floor, she couldn’t help but glance around. This time though, she was looking for Sana _or_ Mina. Neither one was there, and Nayeon wasn’t sure if she’d found comfort in that, or disappointment. 

Finally when it was close to midnight, Nayeon decided to head back. There was a chance Sana might still be up, but odds are the girl had retreated into her room for the night. Sure enough when Nayeon hesitantly opened the apartment door, Nayeon could see the door to Sana’s room was closed and the light was turned off. Sighing with relief, Nayeon slipped off her shoes and retreated into her own room.

  
  


◆◆◆

  
  


To prepare for Mina’s next dance class, Sana had convinced Momo to help her practice. Momo was technically her TA now, after all. Something she had been very vocal to Momo about, making the older girl blush.

They’d reserved a practice room all to themselves—and when Momo moved to stand in front of the mirror to begin, Sana couldn’t help but suddenly feel very self conscious. 

“You know I’m not a good dancer,” she clarified, as a disclaimer.

“Last week you didn’t do bad,” Momo admitted. “Definitely not as good as Mina but, I’m surprised to know you have any coordination at all.”

Sana whined, and Momo simply grinned.

“Mina did a good job teaching me,” Sana replied. “That was just two hours of practice, you know!”

Momo raised an eyebrow. “Well, let’s see how well you can do with another two hours.”

They stretched for ten minutes, loosening up. Sana couldn’t help but marvel again at how flexible Mina was. “I’m just as flexible as you now,” Sana boasted. 

“In your dreams,” Momo said, bending her head down to effortlessly touch her toes. 

They then moved onto step by step choreography, with Momo demonstrating each move and then guiding Sana afterward. Sana really gave it her all, extremely focused. As Momo’s hands grazed Sana’s sides, squaring her hips, the girl let out a surprised gasp. 

Momo had done this with Mina countless times without thought—it was strange that the girl in front of her now who looked the same would have such a different reaction. In her mind, Momo had to keep reminding herself that this was Sana and _not_ Mina. 

“Face the front more,” Momo murmured in Sana’s ear, hands lingering on her waist before she gingerly pulled them away. 

Later, her hands were on Sana’s forearms, raising them to stick up to a higher angle. “Your arms should be close to squeezing your ears,” Momo explained. 

This time her fingers trailed down Sana’s arms before dropping away. 

“Stop teasing me!” Sana cried, pouting as she faced Momo’s reflection in the mirror. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Momo replied, innocently. She moved to the side of the room to get a sip of water and Sana, with her hands now on her hips, scoffed. 

The next hour went by in that kind of dance. Momo’s hands lingered, causing sparks to shoot up Sana’s spine. But two could play at that game. 

In the mirror, Sana made eye contact with Momo intensely. Momo tried to stare right back but eventually caved and turned away. 

Smirking, Sana finally let up, focusing her efforts back into perfecting each move flawlessly. 

When the two hours were finally up, Sana was relatively polished for the latest song the class had been working on. She had at least memorized the choreo, and could do it well enough that she wouldn’t have a problem attending class again.

Panting, Sana dropped down onto the floor over-dramatically. Her forehead and lower back were damp from a layer of sweat. “How do you and Mina do this a couple times a week?” 

“You get used to it.” Momo grabbed Sana’s water bottle and handed it to the girl before plopping down next to her. “You did well.”

Sana beamed, smiling brightly before she unscrewed her water bottle and took a few large sips. 

“Next class we’re starting a new song though,” Momo added, and the smile on Sana’s face instantly dropped. 

“A new song?” Sana exclaimed, looking horrified. “But I just barely got this one down!” 

Momo laughed a bit evilly. “You’ll have to work hard. You can do it, though.” 

Sana collapsed back onto the ground, staring up at the ceiling. “I hope Mina and I switch back tonight, then, so I don’t have to deal with that.”

Leaning over Sana, Momo gave the girl a lazy smile. “I hope so too. This was fun, though. Dancing with you.”

Nodding her head, Sana smiled back. “I never knew I’d like dancing so much. I see why you love it.”

“When you switch back, we should keep doing this. It’ll be good exercise for you and good practice for me. After all, if I can teach you how to dance, I can teach anyone.” 

Sana slapped Momo’s knee in offense, and Momo giggled. 

“I’d like that,” Sana replied, once Momo had stopped laughing. 

The two stared at each other for a moment, Sana’s eyes dropping down to Momo’s lips, before the older girl suddenly turned away, clearly flustered. It would take Momo time to get used to this. Used to seeing those foreign, wide, sparkling eyes, and the moles now dotting Sana’s face—

“Momoring,” Sana murmured, quieting her girlfriend’s frantic thoughts. She reached out and gently placed a hand on Momo’s cheek, guiding the girl’s face back toward her. Momo swallowed and eventually raised her eyes again, meeting Sana’s. “Close your eyes.”

Momo didn’t even hesitate. She closed her eyes immediately, trusting Sana. “Keep them closed,” Sana replied, with her hand remaining on Momo’s cheek, her thumb grazing the corner of Momo’s lips. Silently, she began leaning forward, closer and closer until she pressed her lips against Momo’s. 

Instantly, Momo melted into Sana, feeling the familiarity of the girl’s touch. Sana closed her eyes too as they continued to kiss, and Momo placed her hands against the small of Sana’s back, pulling her body even closer. 

After a few tender minutes, they both pulled away, breathless. 

Momo opened her eyes again, and the illusion Sana had created was gone. After all, Sana still looked like Mina.

“When you close your eyes, it’s not so bad, is it?” Sana asked, voice small and melancholic. “It’s almost like I’m me again.”

It wasn’t perfect, but it would have to do for now. 

Nodding, Momo closed her eyes again and lightly placed a kiss on Sana’s forehead. 

  
  


◆◆◆

  
  


“I saw Momo and Mina walking together on campus last night,” Dahyun told Nayeon. The two girls were sitting on the couch in her apartment, each clacking away on their laptops. 

Nayeon had come over after her morning classes, thankful that Dahyun was willing to have her over so often. It was obvious that Nayeon was avoiding being home by now, after all. 

“Mina?” Nayeon asked, brow furrowing.

Dahyun lifted her eyes from her computer screen, looking up at her friend. “Yeah, that girl Sana introduced us to at the party last weekend. I didn’t realize her and Momo were close.”

“Close?” 

Nayeon felt a bit dumb, just parroting Dahyun’s words. But this was a new, unexpected development. 

“They seemed close, anyway. They were smiling a lot. I made sure to say hello since I didn’t get to see Momo much at the party since she left so early. I was glad to see she was feeling better since then.” 

“Yeah, Momo’s doing a lot better now…” Nayeon’s voice trailed off.

Nayeon remembered Sana telling her last week that Momo was Mina’s TA. That would explain why Momo knew Mina… but them walking together, smiling, looking close…

Dahyun noticed the frown on Nayeon’s face and quickly closed her laptop, turning to face the other girl. “You like Mina, don’t you?” 

All the hairs on Nayeon’s neck stood on end as she faced her friend. It would be so much easier if that were the case. “I barely know her,” Nayeon replied. “I just see her in the library sometimes but I’ve never spoken to her before the party.” 

Raising her eyebrows, Dahyun watched Nayeon curiously. “You seemed eager to get to know her more.”

Groaning, Nayeon fell back against the couch. “I was just drunk,” she replied, embarrassed. “You know I have a weakness for pretty girls.” 

Besides, Nayeon thought glumly, Mina wasn’t Sana.

“Maybe we should invite her out with us when we all hang out soon,” Dahyun proposed. 

For some reason, the thought of Mina and Sana being in the same room again was enough to make Nayeon squirm. “That’s okay,” Nayeon insisted. “She seems shy.”

“She was pretty talkative last night, actually,” Dahyun replied, smiling a bit smugly at Nayeon. “She seemed really friendly.”

Nayeon groaned again, closing her eyes and pretending to fall asleep. 

After a minute of fake snoring, Nayeon felt the tip of a pencil eraser poke into her arm. 

“Nayeon.” 

Nayeon continued to fake snore, not moving a muscle.

“ _Nayeon_ ,” Dahyun whispered, poking her again. There was a slight pause, and then Dahyun poked the girl in the armpit, automatically causing Nayeon to open her eyes and squirm.

“I’ll think about it!” Nayeon shouted, smacking the eraser away from her friend. Satisfied, Dahyun grinned. She set her pencil down and opened up her laptop once again. 

  
  


◆◆◆

  
  


After another day of only being in the apartment at night and slipping out in the early morning before Sana was awake, Nayeon realized she’d left a textbook for an afternoon class in her room and would have to grab it. 

It would be a stealth mission. She’d sneak inside the apartment just for a minute to grab the textbook she’d forgotten and then be out again in a flash. Sana was never around at this time, so Nayeon could only pray the apartment would be empty. 

She stepped inside and was immediately dismayed to see the kitchen light on. The room, luckily, was empty, and Nayeon could see Sana’s bedroom door was open. Nayeon swallowed and beelined for her room, hoping to not be spotted. 

But when she re-emerged into the living room and kitchen, Mina was standing there with her arms crossed, looking right at her.

_Shit._ “Hey,” Nayeon muttered, lamely. “I just had to grab my textbook, I forgot it for class. I gotta get going—”

“Nayeon,” Mina said, gently. Her eyes were wide, sad even. “Are you okay?”

Nayeon stirred. No, she wasn’t okay, but she couldn’t tell her friend that. She worked up a bright, fake smile. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just been busy with school and work.” 

_Her second lie._

“Okay,” Mina replied, looking unconvinced. “You would tell me if something was the matter, right?” The softness of the girl’s voice was almost enough to make Nayeon’s heart break, ever so slightly. 

“Of course,” Nayeon assured, waving her hand dismissively. “You know me, I tell you everything.” 

_Her third lie._

The air in the room was awkward. It was never this way with Sana. The two girls had instantly found solace in each other’s company when they’d first met. So why was the air suddenly charged like this, with both girls holding their breath, looking at one another wondering who was gonna be the first to break this awful silence? 

Mina took a step closer toward Nayeon and the girl’s eyes grew big—almost panicked. That’s when Mina knew that Nayeon’s behavior was directly related to her. But what had happened? When they’d walked home together from the party, there was a light atmosphere between them. Despite not saying much, Mina felt comfortable being near Nayeon. Safe with her. 

“I’ve been meaning to talk to you about something,” Mina began. “Something important.”

A thousand thoughts started running through Nayeon’s head. Was it about Sana and Momo’s relationship? Something was going on between them, clearly. 

For a moment, Nayeon selfishly let herself think that Sana and Momo breaking up could be good for her. Because Sana would be single and available—

“I need to get to class, I’m gonna be late!” Nayeon shouted. Her face was red and her composure was rapidly falling apart. “I’ll see you later.”

_Her fourth lie_. 

Nayeon was out the door in an instant, leaving Mina standing in the kitchen, alone.

  
  


◆◆◆

  
  


“I haven’t seen Nayeon in three days,” Mina told Jihyo. The two of them were sitting at a table in the Law School, since they both had to attend classes there now. “She only comes home at night to sleep when I’m already in bed and she’s gone in the morning before I leave for class. I’m worried.”

“What has Sana said about it?” Jihyo asked. 

Mina shrugged. “Obviously she’s worried too. I guess this isn’t usual behavior for Nayeon. Something must’ve happened. I just hope I didn’t do anything wrong. When I tried to talk to her the other day, she seemed really freaked out. I just don’t understand because we were fine last weekend.” 

Jihyo glanced down at the table in front of her for a moment, pursing her lips together as she tried to imagine what could possibly be going on. “At the party, you and her were pretty close,” Jihyo murmured. At Mina’s silence, Jihyo looked up, examining the girl in front of her. Her friend wore a stoic mask. “I saw you two dancing together.” 

“Sana and Nayeon are best friends,” Mina said, as if that explained the way Nayeon had looked at her then. “That’s just the relationship they have.” 

Jihyo raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. 

“We were gonna come clean to her about everything. It’s just frustrating to not be able to tell her the truth,” Mina admitted. 

“You should confront her then, and tell her to come home.” 

Jihyo was right, but it was easier said than done. 

“If she’s not home by tomorrow, I will.” 

  
  


◆◆◆

  
  


On the fifth day of avoidance, Nayeon happened to spot Sana and Momo together on campus. They were sitting in the school dining hall together, both with coffees in their hands. Nayeon pulled her baseball cap down further, trying to cover her face. She was just getting a bit of lunch before she had to head out for a 6 hour work shift. 

Of course, it seemed no matter where she went, she couldn’t escape Sana. Either in her mind or in real life. This temporary distance she’d put between them didn’t seem to be helping Nayeon one bit. 

As she waited for her order, she snuck another peek at the girls. They both seemed a bit awkward, and neither one was smiling. Sana seemed to be looking anywhere but at Momo.

Nayeon thought back to what Dahyun had told her—how Momo had been walking with Mina, supposedly smiling and laughing. 

This was such a stark contrast to that image in her mind. What was going on between these two?

After Nayeon’s food was done being prepared, Nayeon grabbed her paper bag and headed for the door—she’d find somewhere to eat outside, alone. 

On her way out, Momo happened to look away from Sana and caught Nayeon’s eye. The look was one of confusion and concern. It was still kind, and Nayeon couldn’t stand it. 

Seeing Momo, completely unaware about the fact that Nayeon had a crush on her girlfriend, made Nayeon’s stomach churn. 

Nayeon quickly looked away, fast walking out the door. 

  
  


◆◆◆

  
  


Mina followed Momo’s gaze, turning around to catch a glimpse of the back of Nayeon’s head, trudging away. 

“That was Nayeon,” Momo murmured. There was a bit of hurt in her voice. “She still hasn’t been home in a while, has she?”

Shaking her head, Mina sighed. “I saw her a few days ago when she stopped by the apartment to grab something, but she was gone in minutes. It’s like she wanted nothing to do with me...er, Sana, I mean,” she corrected herself. 

Momo bit her tongue, looking out the window. “Sana and Nayeon have been practically conjoined at the hip since they met each other.” She leaned forward and propped up an elbow on the table, resting her head in her hand. “You know, when I first met the two of them, I thought they were dating,” Momo admitted. 

Mina wasn’t surprised by that, she had figured as much with just the time she’d spent with Nayeon so far. “They’ve never had feelings for each other, have they?” Mina asked, a bit shyly. It might have been a rude question, but she couldn’t help herself.

“Not that I know of,” Momo replied. “They’ve always been more like sisters, getting on each other’s nerves often.” Glancing back at Mina, Momo gave the girl a small smile. “I’m sure you saw that first hand.”

Nodding, Mina gave Momo a small smile back. If that was true though, what really happened the night of the party between her and Nayeon? It felt more heated than what Momo was describing.

Seeing Mina smile, Momo had to chase away the small amount of butterflies fluttering in her stomach. It was strange that right now she couldn’t let herself be in love with the smile she’d fallen for, at least temporarily. She’d have to train herself, every time she was with Mina now, to ignore those feelings and save them for the real Sana. 

“I told her Sana and I made up, after the party,” Momo continued, “so I’m not sure why she’s acting like this. I just wish she would talk to us.” She sighed. 

“Me too,” Mina agreed. “I just want her to know the truth. It would make things easier on all of us.”

Each girl took a sip of their coffee, simultaneously. 

“I’ve been meaning to ask you,” Momo began. “The Thursday after the switch, when we went out for lunch…”

Mina tensed up, having a feeling she knew where this conversation was headed. Her hands gripped her coffee cup tightly. 

“When we were outside...and we kissed,” Momo’s volume lowered slightly, “and you leaned in first—”

“I’m sorry,” Mina quickly blubbered, instantly feeling ashamed. She couldn’t make eye contact with Momo any longer. “That was wrong of me.”

Reaching across the table, Momo gently squeezed Mina’s free hand. “It’s okay,” Momo assured. “I mean, you must’ve felt pressured to do something, and I didn’t make it easy on you. I’m sorry about that.”

Momo didn’t know the half of it. Mina debated coming clean to Momo and admitting the whole truth—that Mina had wanted to kiss her for so, so long—but the words got caught in her throat. Perhaps now wasn’t the best time to tell her this, anyway. What good would it do now? Especially when she still looked like Sana. 

So Mina bit her lip and pulled her hand out of Momo’s grasp. “You don’t need to apologize. Sana and I put you in an unfair situation.”

“You both did what you thought was best,” Momo supposed. “At least I know now and we can just move forward.”

Mina hoped Momo was right. Now that she had a whole team of people supporting her and Sana, she was sure they could figure things out. All that was left was to get Nayeon on the same page.

  
  


◆◆◆

  
  


“I’m going to find Nayeon and drag her back to the apartment with me,” Mina declared. Her and Sana were sitting at the kitchen counter in Sana’s apartment eating some fruit Mina had prepared. “I can’t wait any longer, she needs to know the truth.”

Sana nodded in agreement, plopping a strawberry into her mouth. The longer and longer Nayeon stayed away, the antsier she grew. Perhaps once Nayeon knew the truth, she could get over whatever was causing her to stay away. “Be blunt with her,” Sana added, after she had finished chewing. “Her and Momo are both like this when they get really upset. They sulk off and want to be left alone. This is...a lot more dramatic than usual though. Whatever’s going on with her, it can’t be good.”

Reflecting back on the times in the past where Nayeon had slipped into self-destruct mode, Sana was sure she hadn’t gone more than two days without talking to Nayeon after they got into an argument. And in this case, at least according to Mina, there had been no catalyst at all. Nayeon’s sudden absence really didn’t make much sense. Sana knew she was missing part of the puzzle, one she probably would have been aware of had she actually been in her own body where she belonged. 

She glanced over at Mina, who was now nibbling on a piece of watermelon. It’s funny how, even though it had only been nearly two weeks since they switched, Sana was somehow accustomed to the sight of Mina in control of her body already. She wondered if Mina felt the same, or if the girl was still freaked out by it. 

“Do you think she’ll take it well?” Mina asked Sana, suddenly.

Licking her bottom lip, Sana considered the question. “Honestly...no.” 

Mina was visually shaken by that. She set down her watermelon on her plate and placed her hands in her lap instead. 

“She’s going to be really confused and disappointed. In both of us. But it’s alright. She’ll probably get over it, and things can go back to normal. Well, as normal as they can be, right now.”

“We can even start living in our own apartments again,” Mina proposed. The thought of returning to her own bed and her Switch was a very comforting one. Living with Jihyo again would be nice. Mina missed the girl, even though she’d just seen her yesterday. 

Sana and Momo had taken up Mina’s original offer of finding solace in her and Jihyo’s apartment. Specifically, Mina’s room. Though Jihyo was more than happy to let them enjoy their privacy there, the situation was a bit awkward considering Jihyo didn’t know Sana well, let alone Momo. Jihyo would never say it, but Mina knew that she would definitely prefer Sana and Momo to be doing “girlfriend things” elsewhere, as soon as possible. 

“That’ll be so nice,” Sana murmured, happily. She couldn’t wait to sleep next to Momo again. 

“Only problem is actually finding Nayeon,” Mina replied. “Where do you think she is?”

Sana plopped another strawberry in her mouth. “There’s a few different options. She could be at work. Could be at Chaeyoung’s—she likes to go there. Maybe even Dahyun’s….I know they study together sometimes. Or, the library.”

For some reason, Mina had a good feeling Nayeon was at the library. After the girls finished up the fruit and cleaning the dishes, Sana went back into her room to get some homework done and Mina grabbed Sana’s backpack and headed out the door. 

Sure enough, practically taking two steps at a time, Mina found Nayeon on the third floor of the library, typing away on her laptop with her AirPods in. 

Nayeon was wearing the bright yellow hoodie Mina had seen the girl in often. Wearing it must’ve brought her comfort. Lost in thought, Nayeon’s nose was scrunched up cutely. Mina let herself admire the girl for a moment before she sighed and steeled up the courage to approach her.

Their last encounter had been so awkward, Mina didn’t even really know where to begin. But, as the days passed by, Mina had become more and more angry at Nayeon’s immature and bizarre behavior. Seeing Nayeon sitting there as if without a care in the world only stoked that fire more. 

Mina found herself curling her hands into fists as she strode up to the girl.

“Nayeon!” Mina said, loudly enough to get her attention over whatever music was playing in her ears. She abruptly slid out the chair across from Nayeon, who didn’t even bother to lift her head and look at Mina, and sat down.

“Hey,” is all Nayeon said, continuing to stare at her laptop screen.

Mina gritted her teeth. “Hey. Really? That’s all you have to say?” 

Nayeon sighed and looked up, staring at Mina neutrally. “What do you want me to say?”

“Oh, I don’t know...maybe an explanation as to why you’ve been avoiding me?”

Squaring her jaw, Nayeon closed her laptop and leaned back in her seat. “I haven’t been avoiding you. I’ve just had a lot of homework to get done. It’s almost the end of the semester, you know and—”

“That’s bullshit,” Mina interrupted, digging her nails into her palms. “We have something really _important_ to tell you. You can’t spare a few minutes to hear us out?”

“Us?” Nayeon asked, looking at Mina suspiciously. 

Mina blinked a few times, nervously biting her tongue. “Me. I have something important to tell you,” she lied. She rubbed her temples a few times, trying to calm down. She knew confronting Nayeon with anger might only scare the girl off for longer, and Mina didn’t want that.

“Come home, Nay,” Mina begged, a bit more quietly.

Nayeon’s gaze softened. She picked up a pen and began to twirl it around in her fingers as she tried to sort through exactly what she wanted to say. Sana showing up had been unexpected, and Nayeon had to admit, the distance she’d kept for the past week had done nothing to combat her obnoxious crush. If anything, the distance between her and her best friend had just been more painful.

“Okay,” Nayeon finally answered, though for some reason she was scared of whatever this conversation could be—so important, it seemed, that her friend would even confront her about it in a public place. 

Mina let out a breath and sighed with relief. “Thank you. And I’m sorry. I’m not sure what I did but, I wish you wouldn’t avoid me. I wish you would tell me what’s going on so I can do something to help or make up for it,” she confessed, looking at Nayeon sadly. 

It hurt Nayeon, seeing her roommate look like that when none of this was really her fault. It was all Nayeon, after all—her inner turmoil, her own heart betraying her.

“You don’t have any reason to apologize,” Nayeon assured her, trying to put on a small smile. She bit the inside of her cheek, looking around to see if anyone else was around. Deciding the surrounding area was empty enough, Nayeon leaned in closer across the table. “I just wish you would talk to me, too,” she admitted. 

Mina cocked her head, furrowing her brow. 

“Whatever’s going on between you and Momo,” Nayeon continued. “I know I normally don’t like to be involved in your drama, because that’s between you and her, but to be totally in the dark when I know something’s wrong....it’s hard. You’re my best friend, but recently you’ve felt more like a stranger.” Her voice was quiet and small—so different from the vibrato and spirit it usually encapsulated. 

The frown on Nayeon’s face made Mina’s heart constrict. Mina hated knowing the body switching’s path of destruction had consumed Nayeon as well. The need to repair Sana and Nayeon’s relationship wasn’t just for Sana anymore, Mina realized. She desperately wanted things between _herself_ and Nayeon to be okay. 

Because Nayeon meant something to her. Something she didn’t understand at first, but was now beginning to see. 

“Momo and I are fine,” Mina lied. “We...went through a rough patch but now things are okay.”

Was it Mina’s imagination playing tricks on her, or did Nayeon look disappointed for the briefest of moments? Whatever that look was quickly became replaced with an unconvinced frown.

“Part of what I wanted to talk to you about will shed some light on things,” Mina promised. “When we’re home I’ll explain everything, and I hope things will start making sense then.”

It was so _vague_. Grimacing, Nayeon set her pen down, leaning back in her seat again. “I highly doubt that,” she muttered. “I don’t think anything can explain how I’m feeling.” 

Mina pursed her lips, looking at Nayeon curiously again. “What do you mean?”

Nayeon waved a hand dismissively. “Nothing—forget it.” Her vulnerability closed off again, turning cold and shutting Mina out again. 

This irritable Nayeon—sad one minute then unfeeling the next—was really starting to get on Mina’s nerves. And yet, Mina remained sitting and silent, knowing she had to be patient with the girl. 

Slowly, Mina reached across the table and grabbed Nayeon’s right hand in her own. The girl instantly tensed at the touch, then relaxed once she saw Mina’s assuring face. 

“God, you’re making this so hard,” Nayeon muttered under her breath, just loudly enough for Mina to hear it. “You’re too dangerous to even be around.”

The pieces of the puzzle were beginning to fall into place. Mina realized she was finally starting to understand not only herself, but Nayeon too. Suddenly, the girl’s strange behavior made perfect sense.

“Tell me, Nayeon,” Mina replied, eyes hooded, “why am I dangerous?” 

Their eyes met, and there was an intense look of longing between them both. The moment reminded Nayeon of the time they spent dancing at Jennie’s party recently, surrounded by people and yet alone in a world of their own. When she’d put her hands on the other girl’s waist, Mina hadn’t shown any signs of discomfort. In fact, she’d only leaned into Nayeon further. 

The two girls leaded in closer across the table—and the distance between them was decreasing, ever so slowly. Nayeon’s eyes traveled down to the other girl’s lips, shining with freshly coated pink lipstick. Mina could see Nayeon’s eyes on her lips as well, and something selfish and greedy began bubbling up inside of her. Something so sharp that despite all her screaming thoughts to pull back, Mina didn’t. She wanted to kiss Nayeon. 

Nayeon cleared her throat when she was only inches away from Mina, turning away. 

Mina really wished she hadn’t. 

“You’re my best friend,” Nayeon finally answered, standing up and beginning to pack away her things with shaking hands. “And you’re in a relationship with someone I care about very much.”

Mina watched the girl slide her laptop into her backpack, then zip it up tightly. Throwing the bag over her shoulder, Nayeon wordlessly turned to walk away. She had to get away from here—away from the girl who was messing with her head. 

But then there was a hand on her wrist, fingers delicately wrapped around it, holding her back. Alarmed, Nayeon looked over her shoulder to see her roommate right behind her, the culprit. 

Mina was sick and tired of being boxed into Sana’s life, especially now when its confines were holding back her heart. 

Screw it. 

“I’m not,” Mina declared to the other girl. When Nayeon just stared back at her, startled and confused, Mina took a breath. “I’m not your best friend. And I’m not in a relationship with Momo.”

Nayeon looked back at Mina as if she’d grown two heads. Her lips curled up to form a snarl, ready to fire something snarky back, but Mina tugged her wrist further, forcing Nayeon to turn around.

They faced each other now. 

Yeah, this wasn’t according to plan. But all Mina could think about were Nayeon’s lips, and the desire in her eyes. The desire she was sure was reflected in her own.

“I’m not Sana,” Mina said, firmly. 

Nayeon blinked, looking around the room as if to make sure there wasn’t a hidden camera filming her. There wasn’t.

  
  
“You’re not Sana,” Nayeon repeated, testing the words in her own mouth. They didn’t fit together, nor did they sound right.

The girl’s face was perplexed, and a bit exasperated. 

Mina’s fingers gripped Nayeon’s wrist more tightly, pulling her away from the table and back between some rows of bookshelves that appeared to have been untouched for years. It was even quieter back there than the main section of the third floor, and the smell of aged paper tickled Nayeon’s nose. It was a comforting smell, normally, and yet Nayeon couldn’t help but feel on edge.

“Sana and I were going to wait to tell you together, when you came home, but I just…” Mina paused, finally dropping her hand from Nayeon’s wrist, “I can’t stand you not knowing any longer.” 

Nayeon pursed her lips, staring at the girl in front of her. The girl with the soft, light brown hair that Nayeon wanted desperately to run her fingers through. The girl with the face she knew almost as well as her own. The face that had laughed with her and at her, countless times. The face she knew as not only a friend, but an anchor. The girl who often annoyed her and yet, at the same time, gave her great joy. The girl who never, in their years of friendship, had let her down.

The girl who was clearly Sana. 

“Is this some kind of joke?” Nayeon asked, crossing her arms. “Who are you supposed to be, if not Sana? Her long-lost twin sister or something?” There was a bit of amusement in her tone, yet she wore a grimace on her face. 

Mina took a long, deep breath. There was no going back now. “My name is Mina.” 

Nayeon’s brow furrowed further. Mina could tell she was quickly losing her.

“Mina as in, Jeongyeon and Jihyo’s friend, Mina. The girl you see studying on the third floor, sometimes.” 

Nayeon’s face remained unchanged, so Mina continued. “Sana and I switched bodies a few weeks ago. The Wednesday night you made me hot chocolate was the first night, and the first time we met—unofficially.” 

There was a heavy moment of silence, and Mina thought, for a brief moment, that maybe she had gotten through to the other girl. But that hope quickly evaporated when Nayeon simply adjusted her backpack, shook her head in disgust, brushed past Mina, and walked away. 

Spinning around, Mina quickly chased after her. “Nayeon, wait! I know it sounds crazy but it’s the truth. And I...I think I’m—”

Nayeon let the back stairwell door close in Mina’s face, not even bothering to look back. Behind the closed door, Mina could hear the sound of Nayeon’s sneakers thumping heavily against the aluminum steps. 

“I think I’m falling for you,” Mina whispered, staring at the closed door with her hands hanging limply at her sides. 


	6. this is me trying

It took Mina about ten minutes to stagger back to Sana’s apartment. She felt incredibly nauseous with every step. Had she made a mistake blurting out the truth to Nayeon prematurely? Nayeon’s abrupt exit had made one thing clear—Mina didn’t want the girl to run away anymore. 

Walking inside, she wordlessly shut the door behind her and slipped off her shoes. Sana called out a greeting from her bedroom, hearing the door open and bouncing off her bed. She nearly ran out of the room, only to pause in the doorway at the sight of Mina by herself. 

“What happened?” Sana’s eyes were wide, full of concern. Nayeon’s absence was an immediate sign that something was wrong. Mina had seemed so hell bent on bringing the girl home before...

Mina stayed silent for a minute, hanging her head. “I made a mistake.” Her voice was quiet, barely audible. Sana wouldn’t have heard it if she didn’t race forward as soon as she saw Mina stumbling.

Sana remained quiet, gently placing her hands on Mina’s shoulders and guiding her toward the couch. Mina let herself be led there and pushed down onto the couch gently. Sana sat beside the other girl, knowing Mina would talk to her after she had a minute to collect herself. 

“I told Nayeon the truth about us,” Mina admitted, after about a half a minute passed. 

Sana frowned. “You what? Why didn’t you just wait until we could both talk to her?” 

Mina shook her head, running a hand through her hair. “I just couldn’t take this anymore. Pretending to be you. Not around her.”

Brow furrowing, Sana cocked her head slightly to the side, studying Mina. She knew there had to be more to the story than that, especially when she and Mina had planned to tell Nayeon the truth today already. “What happened at the library?”

Immediately, a handful of lies popped into Mina’s head, but she quickly dismissed them. She couldn’t lie to Sana again. “Nayeon...she…” Mina paused, swallowing a lump in her throat. “The reason she’s been staying away is because she likes you.”

Sana’s nose instantly scrunched in confusion. “What?” she asked, completely taken off guard.

“She likes you...me...us!” Mina groaned, rubbing her head. Why did the situation have to be so complicated? “I think she feels really guilty about it, which is why she’s been avoiding me.”

Shaking her head, Sana leaned back against the couch for a moment and pursed her lips. “No, that’s impossible,” she murmured. “Nayeon’s my best friend. She’s like my sister…” She searched Mina’s face for any more information. 

Mina finally made eye contact with Sana again, sighing. “I think that’s why she’s so confused. Something’s changed, for her.”

Sana’s face paled. This wasn’t meant to happen. She combed back through her memories, trying to pinpoint any time where Nayeon had shown any signs of liking her romantically, but she couldn’t think of any. “Oh my god,” Sana exhaled, finally beginning to understand. “She thinks she’s falling in love with me but it’s you…she likes _you_ , Mina! She just doesn’t know it.”

“Me?” Mina replied, eyes suddenly wide. “But she thinks I’m you.” 

“These feelings must’ve happened after the switch...whatever you’ve been doing, however you’ve been acting, it’s had an effect on her.” Sana took Mina’s hands in her own, shaking them up and down. “We’ve always been really close, but never like that. Trust me. It’s not a coincidence that things got weird after you started spending time with her.”

Everything Sana was saying made sense. Mina had even thought the same thing on the walk back from the library, even though it seemed improbable. All this time, perhaps she was hoping Nayeon would somehow see the real her. Mina had clung to that hope when she’d selfishly leaned in to kiss Nayeon. At that moment, she’d forgotten her situation. No body-switching madness. It was just her and Nayeon. 

Mina’s own feelings were unexpected, and yet suddenly so strong. With her crush on Momo out of the picture, everything now seemed so clear. After all, how could she _not_ fall for Nayeon?

That was another truth Mina had to share. 

“Sana I think...I think I’m beginning to like her too,” Mina admitted, dropping her eyes. When Sana remained quiet, Mina began to feel a bit of panic rising in her chest. She searched for more words to say to explain herself. Anything to fill the suffocating silence. “I mean, I know she’s your best friend and she doesn’t even know me, and I really don’t even know her that well but from what I do know about her, she’s really great and—”  
  
“I think you two would be great together,” Sana replied earnestly, cutting Mina off and giving the girl a small smile. 

Sighing with relief, Mina smiled back. “If she doesn’t hate us both, that is. As soon as I told her the truth she kind of stormed off.”

Sana hummed. “I’m not surprised. It’ll be okay, though.” Even though she said that, Sana herself wasn’t so sure. “I’ll stick around here a bit longer. Maybe she’ll come home soon.”

  
  


◆◆◆

  
  


Mina and Sana waited for Nayeon for a few hours. Luckily, both girls had class work to do to pass the time, so they both sat in silence as they caught up on their assignments. After they were both done and had free time, they decided to start a movie. 

Mina had noticed, as the movie began, Sana gradually moved closer and closer to her on the couch, perhaps not even being fully aware of it herself. About thirty minutes in, Sana’s shoulder was pressed against Mina’s. At the beginning of this whole mess, Mina may have been tempted to slowly scooch away, but now she remained put, letting Sana lean into her ever so slightly. 

Had Sana and her never switched bodies, Mina realized, they probably would’ve never become close like this. Sana would’ve been someone she secretly despised for no justifiable reason, instead of someone Mina now considered a friend. The thought was enough to put a small smile on Mina’s face.

The jangling of keys outside the front door caused Sana to quickly pause the movie they were watching. Nayeon was fiddling with the door knob outside for a few seconds before the front door started to open. 

Mina hadn’t felt this nauseous since her previous fight with Sana.

As Nayeon entered the apartment, her eyes immediately found Sana, who slowly rose to her feet. Mina watched Sana rise and quickly followed her, standing as well. 

“Oh,” Nayeon mumbled, staring at Sana for a moment before she turned to Mina. “I didn’t know you were having someone over.” She quickly shut the door behind her and slipped off her shoes, then faced the girls again.

The annoyance on Nayeon’s face was clear, but she was trying to remain as polite as possible in front of her roommate’s guest. 

“Hey Mina. Um. I’m just gonna...head into my room now.” Nayeon began to shuffle toward her bedroom door. 

“Nayeon, wait,” Sana replied, stopping the other girl in her tracks. It was strange and new to hear the sound of Mina’s soft voice casually saying Nayeon’s name. “Can we talk to you for a minute?”

Swallowing, Nayeon gave Sana a questioning glare before turning to Mina with a look of frustration. “What’s up?” she replied curiously, but was already taking a defensive stance. 

Sana bounced on her toes a few times, preparing for the worst. “What Mina told you in the library is true.”

Nayeon let out what sounded like a mix between a laugh and a snort. She turned her attention to Mina again, her eyes glazed over with quiet fury. “I can’t believe you roped her into whatever this is. This isn’t funny.”

“I haven’t been roped into anything,” Sana interjected, forcing Nayeon’s eyes to land on her again. “We’re both being serious. Nayeon, everything she told you is true. Mina and I switched bodies. I’m _Sana._ ”

Rolling her eyes, Nayeon shook her head. “You know what, I’m not doing this.” She began stomping toward her room again but Sana quickly ran to block her way. Nayeon skidded to a halt and looked at the girl, exasperated. 

“Can you please stop running away?” Sana begged, holding up her hands. 

Nayeon’s frown deepened further. Enough playing polite. “What the hell are you both trying to do?”

“It’s the truth,” Sana replied. “Why would we make something like this up?”

“I honestly don’t know,” Nayeon muttered, shaking her head. She just wanted to collapse in her bed, hiding under the covers. Away from all this. 

Mina stepped forward, looking at Nayeon apologetically. “What can we do to make you believe us?” There was desperation in her voice. 

Nayeon pressed her fingers against her temples. “This is so absurd. There’s nothing you can do because this isn’t _possible_.” She sounded tired now, and a little sad. 

“I’ll tell you anything you want to know,” Sana said. She wasn’t going to give up. “Ask me anything Sana would know and I’ll know the answer.”

Nayeon really didn’t want to play this game, but with both girls looking at her intensely, she sighed and gave in. “Fine, but if I play this game will you leave me alone?” When Sana and Mina nodded, Nayeon supposed she’d humor them. “What’s my favorite color, then?”

“Blue,” Sana answered, without hesitation. “But you like to wear more neutral colors, like white and beige.” 

Raising an eyebrow, Nayeon looked at Sana a bit curiously, but still didn't look convinced. After all, that was a basic question. Could’ve been a lucky guess. Or she could’ve been told the answer beforehand. 

Sana could see what Nayeon was thinking—that this idea was stupid—so she decided to take matters into her own hands, knowing if she let Nayeon quiz her with silly questions, the conversation would last all night and they’d get nowhere. 

“You talk in your sleep, especially when you fall asleep on the couch,” Sana began. “You like to get homework done in the common space and sometimes you’ll stay up so late you’ll fall asleep out here without even bothering to close your laptop. I catch you mumbling things, sometimes. About your parents, or work. Even about Momo and I. And you always drool.”

Nayeon looked offended and embarrassed, especially hearing these words coming out of the girl she thought was Mina. But she still wasn’t convinced. 

“You fell and hurt your left leg when you were a kid and it still is a bit weaker than your right one. Sometimes you just randomly stumble and I always get worried when you have to walk a long way alone.”

Nayeon pressed her lips together, eyes slightly wide. Again, she glanced at Mina before turning her attention back to Sana as the girl continued talking. 

“You’re scared of the dark so you sleep with a night light. A teddy bear shaped one. You can’t stand PDA but you gush over Chaeyoung and Tzuyu when they so much as hold hands.”

“Sana could’ve easily told you all that,” Nayeon insisted, not budging. But her stone exterior was beginning to crack. 

Sighing in frustration, Sana took a step closer to Nayeon, mirroring the girl's defensive stance. 

“We met in the dining hall, a few weeks into the first semester of freshman year. I was getting change out of my purse to pay for my lunch and it accidentally went everywhere when someone backed into me. You were standing behind me and jumped to help me pick everything up. When we both stood up and you handed me the change, I saw your smile and I felt safe. I introduced myself cause you clearly weren’t going to. You were so shy back then.” At the memory, Sana smiled fondly. 

Mina could see Nayeon’s frown was beginning to twitch. Nayeon opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. 

It was time to seal the deal. 

“Freshman year, when we both got drunk at our first college party, you asked me if I would kiss you because you hadn’t had your first kiss yet. You wanted it to be with someone special. Someone you trusted. I guess I was both of those things to you. So, we kissed,” Sana paused, sensing Nayeon’s composure starting to fall apart. “But afterward, when it was done, we both agreed to tell no one cause neither one of us felt _anything._ ”

Nayeon looked pale now—as white as a sheet. Like she’s seen a ghost, and perhaps she had. The ghost of a memory she’d almost forgotten, buried under a layer of embarrassment and drunken forgetfulness. And the girl was right, Nayeon hadn’t felt anything _then_. 

No one else knew that story—not even Momo. If Sana was playing a prank, it would be a pretty low blow to share that with anyone else. Nayeon swallowed, suddenly feeling light headed.

“Nay, you’re my best friend,” Sana said, slowly stepping forward and reaching out a hand. “You noticed something was up with me these past few weeks, didn’t you? You just didn’t know what.”

Flinching back out of Sana’s reach, Nayeon turned away from her. 

Sana tried to not let the hurt show on her face at her friend’s avoidance. “These sudden feelings you have are because the girl you’ve been spending time with isn’t me at all.”

Nayeon shook her head firmly, finally turning back to Mina and begging her with a silent desperation to admit this was all an elaborate joke. It _had_ to be. 

All Mina could do was look back sadly, wanting nothing more than to fix it all while knowing that wasn’t possible. “I’m nothing like Sana. I tried my best to act like her, but I’m no actress. That’s why you saw parts of me shining through. You first found me on the third floor of the library because I accidentally went there by habit…” Mina stopped there, knowing she didn’t need to say more, as Nayeon’s eyes were suddenly shining with understanding. 

“It’s true, then...” Nayeon whispered, weakly. 

“We didn’t tell you at first because we thought it was going to be short lived. But, as you can see, we’ve been stuck like this for about 3 weeks now,” Sana added. “We wanted to tell you sooner but you just weren’t coming home…”

Nayeon glanced up to look at Sana again. This was all too much. The more Nayeon thought about it, the more it made sense...and that thought was horrifying. The annoyance and frustration present earlier were replaced with pure fury. 

“What the _hell_ ,” Nayeon replied, venomously. “This isn’t possible.”

“We know that,” Sana assured. “It isn’t, but it _happened_. I don’t know what else to say.”

Nayeon huffed, looking between the two girls with her top lip forming into a snarl. “You don’t know what else to say?” 

The girl had reached her breaking point, Sana knew. She defensively took a step backward, waiting for Nayeon to blow.

“This is _really_ fucked up, you know that? You’ve kept me in the dark for weeks, probably laughing at me behind my back, messing with me,” Nayeon began, voice as sharp as a knife. 

“We weren’t laughing at you or messing with you, we were just trying to keep it a secret,” Mina insisted, wanting desperately to calm the girl down. “We kept it from everyone, even Momo and my friends as well.”

But Nayeon wasn’t looking at Mina, as if she hadn’t even heard the girl, she continued to stare at Sana with unforgiving eyes. “Why the hell did you think this was a good idea? You let some girl stay in our apartment, your _bed_.” Disgust and disappointment oozed from her lips. “I shared personal things with her, let her see sides of me that I was only comfortable with you seeing. You let her go to your classes? Did you let her sleep with your girlfriend, too?”

“Nayeon!” Sana snapped, icier than Mina had ever heard her before. “Stop.”

“I won’t stop. You’re the one that lied to me! You’re the one that let me think I was falling in love with you!”

“It’s not me you’re falling in love with,” Sana shouted back. “You like Mina.”

“I am not falling in love with her. I don’t even _know_ her. She’s a fucking _stranger_!”

The room was coated in a thick and heavy silence. Sana could feel the hurt radiating off of Mina in invisible waves. She looked back at the girl, feeling so incredibly sorry that Mina had to be here for this. “That stranger has a name, Nayeon. And Mina’s standing right there.”

At the sound of Mina’s name, Nayeon’s scowl instantly broke into something a little softer. Her eyes erratically shifted to find Mina again, who was meekly standing in the threshold of the living room and kitchen, back slightly hunched, clearly trying her best to take up as little space as possible. As if curling into herself would allow her to disappear. At that moment, Mina wanted nothing more. 

Nayeon was so angry, she’d let herself become blinded in her rage. She’d almost completely forgotten the other girl was there. The one who had leaned into her while dancing at the party. The one who she’d almost kissed only hours ago. 

The cruelty of Nayeon’s own words echoed around in her own mind for a moment. Words she’d want desperately to take back. Words that would keep her up at night. But for now, all she could do was stammer, trying to force her lips to find the _right_ words to say—anything that could help ease the blow she had mercilessly dealt. 

But there was nothing. 

Mina swallowed, unable to take her eyes off the ground. She rubbed her arms briefly before they fell slackly at her sides again. They felt heavy. Over cumbersome. “She’s right,” Mina said out loud. “I am nothing more than a stranger.” 

It was true. Nayeon didn’t know her, not really. She’d seen Nayeon unfiltered and genuine, but Nayeon had never gotten to see that side of Mina. She was a fraud.

How silly to think that Nayeon’s feelings were actually meant for her. 

“I’m gonna go,” Mina added. She didn’t care that most of her things were still in Sana’s room. She just needed to leave. To be anywhere but where Nayeon was. 

Quickly striding forward with her head tucked down, she silently headed toward the door, slipped on her shoes, and left. 

At the sight of the door closing, Nayeon tasted bile rising in her throat. 

Sana remained unmoving, staring at Nayeon with a mixture of disgust and pity. “I knew you’d be upset, but that was just cruel.”

Nayeon leaned forward, clutching the kitchen counter to steady herself. “I didn’t mean…” her voice trailed off, staring up at the space that Mina occupied only a minute ago. “You just both put me in a really shitty situation, you know that?” 

“I know, but if you’re gonna be mad at anyone, be mad at me,” Sana replied. “Please don’t hurt Mina.”

Nayeon swallowed, taking a breath. “I...didn’t mean to. It’s just...I don’t even know her! At least I thought I didn’t. She’s just some girl I see at the library...”

“I know,” Sana said, voice returning to its normal, gentle state. “Mina and I didn’t know how you were feeling until today. We didn’t realize things were getting hard for you. I wish you would’ve told me why you were hurting instead of running away.” 

“And what was I supposed to tell you, exactly? ‘Hey, Sana. Just wanted to let you know I suddenly kind-of have feelings for you even though you’re in a relationship with one of my closest friends?’” Nayeon scoffed. “Yeah, right. Besides, even if I did tell you, it wouldn’t actually be you I talked to.”

It was clear Nayeon was still playing defense, so Sana would have to talk her down. “Come on, let’s sit down and talk. It’s been awhile.”

She moved to the couch and sat down, looking back at Nayeon. The other girl walked over but remained standing in front of the couch, looking hesitant. After letting herself cool down for a moment, her mind was finally catching up with the reality of the situation. The reality of the girl who looked like Mina, but was very much not her, looking up at Nayeon expectantly. 

The sight of those large, caring eyes made Nayeon drop eye contact immediately. 

Nayeon really didn’t want to listen to Sana, but Sana was her best friend and she figured she owed the girl a chance to at least explain herself. 

“Mina was worried if we told anyone, word would get out and our lives would be ruined. We’d become like lab rats, or something,” Sana started. “I really wanted to tell you and Momo, but I figured I’d respect Mina’s wishes, at least for a bit. But that changed when things with Momo got complicated. We both decided we needed to be honest with her. So she’s known now since last week. She handled this a lot better than you,” Sana finished, pointedly. 

“Of course she did, she’s Momo.” Nayeon finally sat down on the couch as far away from Sana as possible. “She’d forgive you even if you torched her apartment on fire.” 

“That is not true,” Sana said. “The girl can hold a mean grudge. Just like you.”

Nayeon rolled her eyes. “You have to at least admit keeping this from me was wrong.”

“I know it was, and I’m sorry. We’re both sorry. I won’t make any excuses, and I understand why you’re upset. Especially considering how complicated things are between you and Mina right now.”

_You and Mina_. It was odd how only a few minutes ago, Nayeon had only seen the girl as a silly crush. A pretty face. But now…

“She told you, didn’t she,” Nayeon’s voice was quiet and strained, “what happened at the library?” 

“Not everything, no. But enough,” Sana paused, looking at her best friend with wide eyes. “You really thought you were starting to like me?”

There was no point hiding anything now, so Nayeon simply nodded. “It was driving me crazy, wondering why you had suddenly seemed so...different. Now I just feel like an idiot.” 

“You know I love you, Nay, but—”

Nayeon held up a hand. “You don’t have to say it,” she assured. “You love Momo. More than anything. I know that. And that’s why I got so afraid. That’s why I thought it’d be best for me to stay away and clear my head. It didn’t help that I thought something weird was going on between you and Momo, too.”

“The night of the party, I kissed Momo,” Sana explained. “I got drunk really quickly, ‘cause Mina’s a light weight—even worse than the two of us—and it just...happened. And I really scared her, too.” 

“That’s why Momo ran off,” Nayeon murmured. Everything was fitting together now. 

Sana nodded sadly. “We told her the truth the next morning. Now things between the three of us are okay.”

Nayeon remained silent, reflecting on her recent sightings of “Sana” and Momo on campus together. It explained the awkwardness. And also why Dahyun had mentioned why “Mina” and Momo looked so comfortable together. 

“So you and Momo are still together...even when you’re like this?” Nayeon asked.

Sana smiled happily and nodded.

“But together in what capacity though? You can’t be acting like nothing has changed.”

Shrugging nonchalantly, Sana pondered the question. “Of course not. I mean we have new boundaries. And Momo is getting used to it, too. When we kissed—for the second time—I had her close her eyes. It wasn’t bad.”

Nayeon raised an eyebrow but said nothing. 

“I bet you’re relieved now,” Sana replied, changing the subject. “You really didn’t catch feelings for me, it was Mina all along.”

Frowning, Nayeon propped her hands up on her elbows. “I don’t think it’s that simple.”

She wished it could be. She wished the news of this switch would stop the guilt inside that was threatening to tear her apart. But if anything, only more guilt was spreading, and there was even more confusion.

The person Nayeon was starting to like didn’t really exist, because she wasn’t Sana, but she wasn’t fully Mina, either. 

“I was starting to like Mina’s best attempt at being you.”

Mina’s act had been flawed in all the right ways. The subtle and obvious differences were both confusing and intriguing to Nayeon. The new behavior coming from who she thought was her friend was endearing. 

There was a moment of silence, and Nayeon could hear Sana cross and uncross her legs, though Nayeon didn’t dare look over at her.

“You never liked me before this,” Sana replied, thoughtfully. “Before her.”

“That’s true.” Nayeon had never thought of Sana as anything more than a friend. Their personalities meshed well but in a platonic way. The way that made them feel instantly comfortable with one another. 

“You definitely have to at least like Mina a little bit. I mean at Jennie’s party you were pretty forward.” Sana looked at Nayeon smugly. “I mean those heart eyes...wow.”

Nayeon groaned, suddenly realizing she’d accidentally been flirting with Sana that night without even realizing it. 

“I was just trying to get my mind off of _you_ ,” she admitted. “I thought maybe Mina could help. But I still couldn’t stop thinking about you even after being introduced to her. And besides, even if I did like her...which I don’t...what does that matter anyway when you’re still both switched?”

“If you both want to pursue something,” Sana began. “I won’t stop you. Mina and I could be stuck like this for a while. Forever, even. It’s something we both have to get used to. And it shouldn’t hold either of us back, right?”

Nayeon didn’t even have the mental strength to process what Sana had just said and insinuated. She quickly stood up and rubbed her temples again. “I need some time to think.” She paused, finally gaining the courage to look Sana in the eye. “Are you sleeping here tonight, then?” 

Sana glanced back at her room before nodding. “I guess so.” She knew Mina would need some space and time. 

It was a bit of a relief for Nayeon. The thought of being alone with Mina right now was too much for her to bear. “Alright, I’ll talk to you tomorrow, then.” Nayeon went into her room and closed the door, leaving Sana sitting on the couch, watching her with concern. 

  
  


◆◆◆

  
  


When Mina opened her apartment door, Jihyo immediately lifted her head and her eyebrows raised, expecting Sana, not Mina. Jihyo was sprawled on the couch, laying on her stomach as she typed away at her laptop. 

“Hey, everything alright?”

When Mina was upset, there were a few telltale signs that always could tip Jihyo off. For starters, she would be quiet—lost in thought. Her eyes would look far away. She’d avoid coming out of her room when she could. And even the smallest action or word could set her off into uncontrollable tears.

Even now, when Mina wore a different face, Jihyo could see the girl was troubled. She looked worn and tired. Based on how Mina simply stood, lingering back in the kitchen near the front door, Jihyo already knew the answer to her own question.

“We told Nayeon,” Mina finally said, moving a bit closer to Jihyo.

“And?”

Mina smiled—a sad one that made Jihyo’s heart twist. “It didn’t go well, just like Sana expected.”

Jihyo shut her laptop and stood up. “Let’s go lay down in your room for a bit.” 

“I don’t wanna interrupt your homework,” Mina replied, staring at Jihyo’s now closed laptop.

Waving a hand, Jihyo walked up to Mina and placed a hand on her back. “I was just getting ahead on some assignments for next week, anyway.”

The thing about Mina was she so often focused on others that she would neglect herself—not wanting to burden anyone. Jihyo knew by now that if she didn’t insist that Mina wasn’t being a burden, that the girl would just assume she was. It was often up to Jihyo to coax Mina to talk things out, which always made the girl feel infinitely better, even if she didn’t want to admit it. 

Not having the strength to argue, Mina followed her friend to her room. They both laid down on Mina’s twin sized bed, side by side. 

“Nayeon will come around. This must just be a shock,” Jihyo began, once they were settled. She picked up one of Mina’s shark plushies off the bed and held it in her hands. 

“I realized why she was avoiding me, Jihyo. She started to develop a crush on Sana.”

This didn’t come as a surprise to Jihyo at all. 

“I found her at the library and figured out the truth. But not just that one, another one, too.” Mina paused, reaching up out of habit to grab the necklace around her neck that was not there. “I guess somewhere along the way I started developing feelings for her, too.”

Mina glanced over at Jihyo, expecting a dramatic reaction, but Jihyo just glanced back at her with her eyebrow raised. 

“You and Nayeon?” 

“Is that so hard to imagine?”

Jihyo pursed her lips, reflecting on her very brief encounter with Sana’s best friend at the party. Nayeon seemed nice enough, and she was pretty. Jihyo would have to get to know her better to form a solid opinion. 

“It’s not, really. It’s actually really great to picture you with someone besides Momo or Jeongyeon.”

“Well, it doesn’t matter, anyway. She doesn’t feel the same way I do. I mean, she doesn’t even know me. She said I’m just a stranger.” Mina’s voice was monotone and unfeeling.

Fingers running through Mina’s hair, Jihyo hummed. “She’s just hurting right now. Her world got turned upside down. I don’t think she meant what she said.”

Mina knew Nayeon had every right to be upset, but the words still hurt. Partially because, within the span of hours, she had come to realize her feelings for Nayeon, only to be harshly rejected soon after. 

“I was a little hurt when I figured out that you didn’t tell me right away about the switch, too, but I just put it aside cause you and Sana were hurting much more than I was,” Jihyo said. 

Feeling guilty, Mina turned her head slightly to peer over at her friend. “I just didn’t know what to do. I never asked for this. Any of it.”

Jihyo nodded, moving her hand down to massage the back of Mina’s shoulder and neck. At the touch, Mina always melted. “I know,” Jihyo assured. “None of this was fair to you or Sana. Give it some time, and Nayeon will come around.”

“What does it even matter?” Mina said. “She’s a part of Sana’s life, not mine. And now that I don’t have to stay at Sana’s apartment, she won’t have to see me again.”

“Her and Sana are part of the same friend group. If you don’t switch back, you’ll have to interact with her for that reason. Unless Sana wants to tell all her friends the truth, too.”

That wasn’t helping much. Thinking of having to awkwardly interact with Nayeon—to play pretend in public even when Nayeon knew the truth—Mina knew the other girl would hate it. 

Mina groaned. “I was so dumb for tricking myself into thinking she actually liked _me_ for a moment _._ Like she could actually see me underneath.”

“I mean, Nayeon’s behavior was strange, right? She’s never acted like this with Sana before. This all happened because of you. She likes the new Sana, and the new Sana is you.”

The new Sana. Mina wanted nothing more than to be herself. Just Mina. Only Mina.

Jihyo could sense her friend’s distaste by the way her shoulders tensed. Quickly, Jihyo tried to backtrack her words. “Now that she knows the truth, she can actually get to know you. The real you. And you can get to know the real her, too. Without the Sana filter on.”

“I don’t think she’s gonna want anything to do with me now, and I don’t blame her,” Mina mumbled. “Sana and I betrayed her trust.”

“Just give her a little time, okay? Besides, at the party she seemed interested to get to know you, the actual you. Or the girl she thought was you, anyway.”

“I know,” Mina sighed. “Sana said the same thing. And Nayeon did tell me she thought I looked really good with blonde hair.”

“See!” Jihyo replied, looking smug. 

“I’m still mad at you for letting Sana bleach my hair, though,” Mina added, frowning. “Don’t think you’re off the hook for that.”

Jihyo simply smiled at that, enjoying the scolding tone coming from Mina, who was just about the least intimidating person she’d ever met—once she got to know her, anyway. 

Mina turned back to face the ceiling again, sighing. “But anyway, that’s just my body, the one I don’t even have right now. Nayeon really doesn’t know anything about me.”

Jihyo tsked her tongue, having forgotten how emo and overdramatic Mina could be when she was really upset. It’s like she could get swallowed up in her own self-pity. “She’ll learn. Then she’ll find her way back to you.”

“How can you be so sure?” Mina asked quietly, eyes still glued to the ceiling. 

“Mina, c’mon...you’re like the whole package. Please don’t sell yourself short.”

“Oh, am I now?” There was a playful smile on Mina’s lips. 

Jihyo rolled her eyes. “God, don’t make me regret saying that.” But she was smiling, too. 

Turning on her side to face Jihyo again, Mina curled up in a ball. “Enough about me. You need to tell me about what’s been going on with you lately! What have I missed?”

And so Mina listened to Jihyo rant and rave about her own life, and for a split second things almost felt like normal again. 

  
  


◆◆◆

  
  


The next morning, Nayeon awoke groggily to the sound of someone stirring in the kitchen. Grouchy and confused, she curiously opened her bedroom door and peeked outside into the common space. Sure enough, there was a head full of blonde hair grabbing something out of the refrigerator. 

Sana must’ve heard the bedroom door open, because she suddenly turned around and gave Nayeon a content greeting. 

Nayeon rubbed her eyes, trying to get used to the sight in front of her. Sana was almost never up this early, and when she did have to wake up at a time like this, she often moved like a zombie. “What are you doing?”

“Oh,” Sana breathed out, returning to gathering her breakfast. “Mina has an 8AM today.”

Standing in the doorway with her arms crossed, Nayeon simply hummed. She was still wearing her pajamas, consisting of an oversized shirt and athletic shorts. “So you do go to her classes?”

Nodding, Sana sat down at the counter, preparing to quickly stomach something down before starting the day. Normally she never ate breakfast, but she found that having to wake up this early for Mina’s classes, her day would be miserable if she didn’t eat until lunch time. “All of them. And she goes to mine.”

“What’s...her major?” Nayeon asked, trying to sound as disinterested and nonchalant as possible. 

“She’s pre-med. Watching all those hospital dramas you like did not prepare me for this.” Sana pouted slightly, then quickly took a bite of the cereal she had just poured. 

Nayeon was a bit impressed the two girls were even going to each other’s classes, but she supposed there wasn’t really another choice for them. “Have you had to take an exam yet?”

“Luckily no….but when we both have to, we’re doomed,” Sana groaned. 

Biting her lip, Nayeon awkwardly fiddled with her shirt, not really knowing what to say but not really wanting to take her eyes off Sana, either. Part of her had hoped when she woke up, all of yesterday would’ve been a strange nightmare. But here was Sana now, with Mina’s cheeks puffed up as she chewed, looking down at a phone on their kitchen table as if it were an average day. She was also wearing Sana’s clothes—dark jeans and one of Sana’s favorite blouses—which made sense because this girl _was_ Sana. But it also looked odd because Sana didn’t _look_ like Sana. 

“God, this is so weird,” Nayeon finally said, shaking her head. “How did you ever get used to this?”

Nayeon’s eyes found Sana’s but then drifted away as soon as they locked. She was clearly too embarrassed to directly look at Sana for more than two seconds now. 

“When you have to live with it, you don’t really have a choice. But it hasn’t been so bad. Well, I mean the thing with Momo wasn’t fun, but we’ve got that all sorted and everything now.”

“Why Mina?” Nayeon asked, suddenly. It was abrupt and vague, but Sana knew what Nayeon meant. “And you really don’t know why this happened, or how?”

Sana shrugged. “We just bonked our heads together, and then suddenly…” she pointed to herself. “We don’t know anything. Mina was doing research on the subject but never found anything helpful.”

“That would explain the weird medical journals I saw her with at the library.”

Sana stopped chewing for a moment, clearly pondering something. “Sometimes I wonder what will happen if we never switch back.” Her voice was small. Scared, even. “What happens when the semester is over and we both have to go home? What will we tell our parents? Will we really have to live as each other our whole lives? Will I have to switch Mina’s major? Restart my law degree? Or will I have to try to become a surgeon? And what about Momo? None of this is fair to her—“

Sana was talking quickly, voice growing louder and more anxious. Her collected exterior was quickly breaking. Nayeon’s feet moved as if by instinct, carrying her over to the kitchen island. She stood besides Sana, though she didn’t dare touch the girl. 

“I’ll do the best I can to help you figure this out,” Nayeon assured. “I’m not gonna pretend everything is going to be okay, because I honestly have no idea if it will be, but I sincerely hope things will be alright.”

Sana appreciated Nayeon’s honesty. It seemed to calm her down a bit and she took a shaky breath. “Thank you.”

“I’m still mad at you keeping all this from me. But, you’re still my best friend,” Nayeon added, shyly turning away. “even if you look...different.”

That put a small smile on Sana’s face. “Just a little different,” she teased.

Nayeon smirked back. “Barely even noticeable. If I squint my eyes it’s almost like nothing changed at all.” She found the sudden courage to take one of Sana’s hands in her own and gave it a slight squeeze. 

Sana’s eyes lit up. It’d been weeks since she’d been this close to Nayeon. Sure Nayeon got on her nerves all the time, but Sana had missed her so much. It’d been odd to see Nayeon from a stranger’s perspective at the party. So lively and bright but not shining with the light Sana was used to. 

Meanwhile, Nayeon could feel her throat constricting, staring at the large brown eyes gazing back at her. It’s funny how much she’d wished for this to happen—for Mina, her “library girl” back then—to notice her. Now, in a weird way it had happened, but not how she’d expected it to.

She often imagined a scenario where she had the courage to approach Mina’s table at the library and introduce herself. Nayeon would make her smile with a dumb joke, and she’d hear Mina’s laugh for the first time. They’d see each other a few more times at the library before Nayeon would off-handedly suggest they grab a coffee. And if all went well, Mina would say yes. 

But now, this would never be the way they’d first meet. It had happened already without Nayeon even realizing it, when Mina walked through the apartment door a few Wednesdays ago. 

Nayeon thought, a bit glumly, that she still didn’t know what Mina’s real laugh sounded like. 

Sana must’ve sensed the chaos stirring in Nayeon’s mind, because she pulled her hand away, frowning. “You really should talk to Mina,” she murmured, returning to her cereal. 

“What am I supposed to say to her?”

Sana took a sip of her juice before looking at Nayeon knowingly. “The truth is often the best place to start.”

“Why do you suddenly sound so wise?” Nayeon teased, causing Sana to roll her eyes but giggle. 

Quickly taking a few final bites of her cereal, Sana swallowed it down and gave her friend a cheeky grin. “I’ve always been wise, you just never paid attention.” 

Nayeon rolled her eyes. “Well I was going to sleep in today, cause my first class actually got cancelled, but I couldn’t sleep.” 

Standing up, Sana placed her bowl in the sink and put the milk back in the fridge. “You should try to get back to sleep, then!”  
  
Cancelled classes were pretty rare, and usually involved the professor being out of town or sick. They were something to be treasured. Something Nayeon shouldn’t waste. 

“I’ll try,” she supposed. But her thoughts were whirring. Though her eyelids were drooping, her mind was loud and demanded to be heard. She took one last look at Sana before yawning. “Have a good day.” 

Nayeon trudged back into her bedroom as Sana went into her own room to gather her things. She was back in bed, nestled under the covers by the time she heard the front door open and close. 

Shutting her eyes, Nayeon saw not one, but two faces now imprinted on the inside of her eyelids, taunting her. She begged sleep to come, and after another half an hour of the seething words she’d said yesterday echoing between her every heart beat, it finally took her. 

  
  


◆◆◆

It would be quick. 

Mina would just go in and grab the rest of the things she’d left behind in Sana’s room. A textbook and her laptop. Now was the perfect time anyway, since Nayeon had her morning class. The apartment would be empty and all hers. 

However, as soon as Mina opened the door, she felt a sense of dread as she saw the kitchen light was on. It was too late to back out now, though the thought crossed Mina’s mind. 

There, sitting on a stool in the kitchen, was Nayeon, still in her pajamas. Her hair was tied up in a messy bun, threatening to come undone as she leaned over the counter. 

“Oh, you’re home,” Mina murmured, immediately freezing and angling her body back toward the door, as if she was preparing to rush out again. “Sorry, I didn’t think anyone would be here. I came to get my things.”

Nayeon, who had half of a piece of toast in her mouth, quickly swallowed and shook her head. “It’s alright,” she assured. It was more than alright. Nayeon had wanted to see her again, so why couldn’t she get those words out now? All she could do was sit in silence as Mina tip-toed past her and into Sana’s bedroom like a gust of wind. 

When Mina finally came out again with a full backpack, she stopped in the doorway, glancing at Nayeon with a look of hesitation. But Nayeon wasn’t looking at her. 

This was it, Mina realized. Nayeon might never have any interest in looking at her again. So she took a breath and walked across the common space toward the exit. 

“Mina,” Nayeon murmured, as the girl began to slip on her shoes. Mina stopped moving, but stayed angled toward the wall. “I wanted to talk to you, actually.”

Slowly standing up, Mina turned to face Nayeon again. “Oh,” was all she said. 

“About what I said yesterday, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to sound that...cruel.”

“It’s okay,” Mina replied, even though it wasn’t. She forced a small smile on her lips. “It was wrong of me to lie to you. For me to play pretend all this time.”

“Sana explained why you did it. I understand it now.” And Nayeon really did understand, though it didn’t make anything better. Her feelings were still entangled with the girl standing in front of her, at least partially. A messy ball of red yarn that was hopelessly knotted.

Could it ever be undone, or would it have to be snipped with a pair of scissors? 

“We never meant to hurt you,” Mina assured. “I didn’t think….” her voice trailed off. She didn’t think that Sana’s best friend would start having feelings for her in the midst of this. Or that she’d start having feelings for Sana’s best friend, either. 

Nayeon nodded, seemingly knowing what Mina was trying to say. “It’s a bad situation all around. Seeing you two like this will take some getting used to.” She stood up, collecting her dishes and dropping them in the sink before turning around and leaning back against the counter. 

“At least we’re back in our own apartments. You won’t have to see me around, anymore.” Mina’s voice was cordial. Non-revealing. Though inside, Mina could feel her composure slipping. The air around her was stifling. 

Biting her lip, Nayeon nodded. “It wouldn’t be such a bad thing, you know.”

“What?” Mina asked, eyes widening slightly. 

“To keep seeing you around, I mean.” Nayeon paused, curling her fingers tightly around the edge of the counter top. She hated not quite knowing how to proceed. Not knowing what to say. Finally, she cleared her throat and said the first thing that came to mind. “I was hoping, since you already know me now, that we could be friends.”

Friends. 

As if the tension in the library between them hadn’t been thick and heavy. Maddening.

Sana and Nayeon were only ever friends, and that’s all Nayeon and Mina would ever be, too. 

Mina’s mouth twitched as she nodded. Her mouth tasted bitter and unpleasant, suddenly. “I’d like that.” 

It had been a relief knowing Nayeon didn’t despise her, but somehow, hearing those words, it was almost worse than if Mina had just stayed away from Nayeon completely. 

There was a moment of silence before Mina adjusted her backpack and stepped back toward the door. “I’ll be going now.”

Nayeon only nodded with parted lips, watching Mina intently. “Okay.”

And then Mina was gone. 

  
  


◆◆◆

Momo and Sana normally made it a rule to not discuss Nayeon. Since they were all friends, they tried to honor each other’s privacy, and found it better to discuss any minor annoyances with one another to someone else outside their circle. 

But the second Sana saw Momo at the end of the day in the dance studio, she couldn’t help herself from launching into a long-winded explanation of everything that had happened in the past two days. 

They both sat on the floor criss-crossed as Sana told Momo about the reason for Nayeon’s avoidance. Sana breezed by the crush a bit, and didn’t even notice the way Momo seemed to tense slightly when it was mentioned. She even told Momo about Mina’s budding feelings for Nayeon, which Nayeon ruthlessly stomped out. By the end of the story, Sana’s head was resting in Momo’s lap, and Momo was running her hands through Sana’s hair. 

“Nayeon really thought she was starting to like you?” Momo asked, in a small voice. She was glancing up at the wall-length mirror, staring at their reflections. 

“But she doesn’t like me,” Sana assured, looking up in surprise at the disapproval on her girlfriend’s face. “It’s Mina she likes. I already told her that.”

Momo was quiet for a minute, and Sana thought for a brief second that maybe she should’ve hid the truth from Momo, or at least fudged it a bit. But then, she reflected, keeping secrets in the first place only ended up hurting both Mina and Sana in the end. She’d learned her lesson about that by now. Momo deserved the truth, always. 

“Everything makes sense,” Momo finally said, and Sana released the small breath she’d been holding. She reached up and gently smoothed her thumb along Momo’s cheek. “It makes sense why Nayeon was avoiding me, too.” Momo’s voice was sad. 

“I’m sorry,” Sana whispered. “For everything. All this, it’s my fault. I let it get to this point and ended up hurting everyone…”

Momo gently guided Sana back into a sitting position so that they were facing one another again. She gave Sana her soft, genuine smile. A smile Sana couldn’t help but feel like she never deserved. “It’s not your fault. All of this, it’s out of your control. It’s out of Nayeon’s control too.” Momo paused, eyes dropping down to her lap. “I can’t blame her for wanting to love you.” 

Sana frowned, placing a hand on Momo’s knee. 

“I remember the first time you introduced me to Nayeon, I really thought she was her girlfriend,” Momo admitted.

Sana wrinkled her nose. “Seriously?” 

“You were so...close. I’ve always thought, maybe if I’d never met you then maybe…” Momo’s voice trailed off. 

Squeezing Momo’s knee, Sana leaned forward so that she was closer to Momo’s face. “Maybe what?” Sana replied, challenging Momo to finish. 

Momo shrugged. “Maybe you two would’ve ended up together. You can’t tell me the two of you haven’t at least considered it?”

“There was a time...a brief time,” she clarified, “that I thought for a moment maybe I liked Nayeon as more than a friend. But that was before I even met you, Momoring. Nayeon and I laugh about it now, about how absurd that thought even was. Because neither one of us ever really felt _anything_.” 

Nodding in understanding, Momo remained silent. Sana knew the girl was slipping into one of her self-deprecating moods. Though Momo often remained extremely laid back and appeared hard to rattle, there was a side of her that lacked any confidence, which made her insecure about their relationship. This was what Sana had to combat now. The only way to pull Momo out of this was to simply hold her until she felt better, or force her to get her mind off of whatever was bothering her. 

“Here,” Sana continued, suddenly standing and reaching a hand down to Momo to get the girl up on her feet. Momo quickly took it, letting herself be pulled up by Sana. “We should get started on our lesson today. But you know I love you, right?” Her eyes were wide and pleading. Willing Momo to understand how sincere she was being. Wishing that Momo could physically feel all the love Sana contained for her in her heart. Constantly bursting and uncontainable. Love so purely happy and blissful that just being in Momo’s presence was enough to make her smile uncontrollably.

The look made Momo’s neutral expression soften slightly. She took Sana’s hand and gave her an earnest nod. “I know.” 

“Good,” Sana replied, smiling. “Now dance with me.” 

  
  


◆◆◆

  
  


Nayeon and Mina didn’t see each other again for another week. Not until they were forced to interact, by Dahyun of all people. Dahyun, who simply wanted to get her friends together over the weekend. 

It was Chaeyoung’s idea to head to the pier. The weather was still cold—much too chilly to actually go in the water along the coast, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t walk along the untouched sand. Besides, at this time of year the pier was empty and peaceful. It wasn’t packed with tourists and locals alike, just a few stragglers enjoying the smell of the ocean and the biting autumn air that made bundling up necessary. 

Dahyun at first had casually bounced the idea around of inviting Mina. One Nayeon had instantly shut down and stomped out. Sure, before Nayeon found out the truth, the thought of Mina being around wasn’t a bad thing. But now, thinking about Sana and Mina being together in the same group, awkwardly having to act like each other...yeah, that was a recipe for disaster. 

Even with Sana out of the picture of this hangout, just the thought of having to see Mina again made Nayeon panic. Sure, she wanted them to be friends, but she didn’t want to act like Mina’s _best_ friend, just to put on a show for everyone else who didn’t know who she really was. 

“This is a terrible idea,” Nayeon murmured, after getting Sana up to speed with the friend group chat. The one she was temporarily no longer a part of. 

“It’s really not,” Sana assured. “I mean, Mina already went out with you all at the escape room, remember? That went fine. No one was suspicious.”

Nayeon remembered that day well. The way her heart had raced as Mina had gotten close to her in the kitchen afterward. 

“You only think it’s a bad idea cause you know the truth,” Sana continued. “But we both know if you or I turned down an invite to meet up with everyone on a rare opportunity when all our schedules align, that would be even _more_ suspicious.”

Simply sighing, Nayeon flopped back against the couch. Sana took advantage of the girl’s silence to quickly text Mina that she should go on this group outing. 

“Are you gonna tell everyone else eventually?” Nayeon asked, after seeing Sana had sent the message.

“Eventually,” Sana replied, suddenly looking a bit lost in thought. “But not right now.”

  
  


◆◆◆

  
  


The drive to the pier was an awkward one. 

All the girls couldn’t fit in one car, so they had to split up into two groups. Nayeon offered to drive one group like she normally did. Sana had a car, but Mina didn’t have a license, so her driving was out of the question. Momo had to step up, deciding to pick up Dahyun. That left Mina and Nayeon alone in the car together until they got to Chaeyoung and Tzuyu’s dorm. Luckily that was only a few minutes away, but that didn’t make either girl feel any better about it. 

Mina strode over to the outside of Sana and Nayeon’s apartment building, where she was supposed to meet Nayeon.

She was wearing one of her favorite fall coats—long and grey, with black buttons down the middle left side. Since her and Sana had started sleeping in their own apartments again, they’d each been wearing their own clothes. Mina and Sana were roughly the same size and height, so the transition worked out well. It felt like another added piece of normalcy was returned to their lives just by being able to wear something familiar. 

Currently, Mina was five minutes late. The reason being she had spent a bit more extra time getting ready than usual. Though, she’d never admit that. She’d stared at herself in the bathroom mirror as she dusted some blush on her cheeks, wondering why exactly she was putting in this extra effort for a girl who didn’t like her. 

Nayeon was standing in front of the building entrance with her arms crossed, glancing around at the parking lot anxiously. Underneath her black leather jacket, she wore a black turtleneck, which was pulled up high, just below her nose, in an attempt to stay warm. 

“If you’re cold now, wait until we get to the pier,” Mina commented as she approached Nayeon, nearly making the older girl jump. “Are you sure you don’t want to wear something warmer?”

Immediately, Nayeon folded her turtleneck back down so her mouth was no longer covered. “I’ll be fine,” she replied stubbornly, sticking her hands in the back of her jean pockets. “You ready?”

Nodding, Mina hummed. Nayeon bobbed her head in return and began walking to her car with Mina following closely behind. They didn’t say anything else until they each got in on their respective sides. 

As Nayeon started the car, she glanced at Mina in the rearview mirror for a split second. The girl looked nice, though Nayeon didn’t tell her that. Her makeup had a very natural yet glowing look that suited her well. Correction, suited Sana well? Nayeon internally groaned at the confusing nature of the situation as she pulled out of her parking spot. 

“How was your day?” Nayeon asked, lamely, because she had nothing else to say but couldn’t stand the encompassing, thick silence that had settled between them. 

Mina shifted slightly in her seat, answering without turning to face Nayeon. “It was alright.” She paused, chewing her lip. “I’m glad it’s the weekend. How was yours?” 

So this was it—how their conversations would go from here on out. Just empty, painful, small talk. 

“Not bad,” Nayeon replied, hands gripping the steering wheel tightly. “Nice, actually. I had off of work today so I just caught up on some assignments this morning.” 

Mina hummed again, seemingly satisfied with that answer. 

Only about a minute away from Chaeyoung and Tzuyu’s dorm now, Nayeon found an urge to say something else. Anything else. 

“When we were at the escape room, I thought it was so funny how competitive Sana was,” she blurted out. “I mean, it wasn’t Sana, it was you. I know that now. She’s normally not like that, you see. I’m the competitive one. She has the best intentions but always kind of makes a habit of getting in the way. Her and Momo both. But we all have fun, regardless.”

Nayeon wasn’t sure where she was going with this, and Mina was even less sure. But her eyes were on Nayeon now, curious. 

“I knew something was off then. Something about my best friend had changed. I suppose that’s when I started changing, too.” Nayeon turned into the parking lot, pulling up the curb and putting the car in park. She looked at Mina shyly, feeling a bit breathless for no obvious reason. 

There was no point Nayeon was trying to make, really. It was just something that she felt had to be said. Mina wasn’t sure what to do with this information, so her mouth hung open slightly as she searched for a response. 

Just in time to save her, Chaeyoung came running out to the car like a giddy child, with Tzuyu following behind at a normal pace. 

Nayeon turned the radio on as they headed toward the pier, filling the car with bubblegum pop. The conversation turned warm and cheerful as Tzuyu and Chaeyoung quickly filled them in on the excitement of the last few weeks, but dropped off into a comfortable silence as Nayeon drove through the worst of the city traffic. 

“I wish you would’ve driven,” Tzuyu mumbled to Mina from the backseat as Nayeon got honked at by an angry driver behind them. 

“I’m doing a _fine_ job,” Nayeon replied, pouting. “Driving in the city is hard, just be thankful I’m giving you a ride in the first place.”

Mina looked at Nayeon, who was leaning forward over the steering wheel in intense concentration, and smiled. “You are doing fine,” she agreed. Though Mina wanted her license, she’d always been a bit terrified of driving. She admired anyone who can handle the stress of it, especially in places with heavy traffic.

Nayeon seemed slightly surprised by the genuine statement and lack of antagonizing jab. After her eyes darted over and caught Mina’s side profile, Nayeon gave Tzuyu a triumphant grin in the rearview mirror. “At least someone appreciates my hard work.” 

Tzuyu rolled her eyes, while Chaeyoung just laughed. “If we make it there in one piece I’ll consider it an achievement.”  
  


◆◆◆

  
  


Jihyo was surprised to come home from grocery shopping to find Sana sprawled across the couch of her apartment with some sort of wine glass in hand. Her eyes were closed and she was smiling, looking content. Jihyo hadn’t seen Sana for a few days now, and since her and Mina had started staying in their own apartments again, this was certainly unexpected. 

“Sana, it’s like 2pm on a Saturday and you’re already drinking?” Jihyo asked, crossing her arms and staring down at the girl with blatant judgement. “Also, how did you get in here anyway? I locked the door.” 

Opening one eye to look at Jihyo, Sana’s smile turned slightly mischievous. “I was over before Mina left. I think she thought I’d be a bit lonely today so she suggested I wait for you to come home. And I had to find a way to entertain myself in the meantime. It’s just a little wine.”

Jihyo stepped forward and picked up the wine bottle sitting on the coffee table. Luckily it seemed as though this was only Sana’s second glass, and she hadn’t yet drank the bottle dry. 

“What’s the occasion?” Jihyo replied, more curious than anything. 

Shrugging, Sana opened her other eye and sat up. “No occasion. My friends and girlfriend are all having fun together without me, so I figured I needed to have a little fun, too.” 

Jihyo pressed her lips together and nodded in approval. “Fair enough.” She walked back to the kitchen to grab a glass herself before sitting down on an armchair besides the couch. Leaning forward to grab the bottle again, she poured herself a generous amount. The wine was white—bitter but still sweet. 

“You wanna know something funny?” Sana said, as Jihyo took a few small sips. 

Jihyo had a feeling whatever Sana was about to say wasn’t actually going to be funny. It was in the way Sana’s smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. 

“My favorite kind of wine is red. I poured myself a little glass of the wine you have here already, but it tasted gross, all of the sudden. I could barely even get it down.” Sana paused, taking a sip of her own wine. “Then I tried a bit of the white you have here instead, and it went down so smooth.”

“Mina prefers white wine,” Jihyo replied, looking at Sana a bit sadly. 

“I know our taste buds are switched, just like everything else. But it still made me sad, for some reason.” Sana was still smiling—a small one. “I know I have Momo and Nayeon again, but it still feels like I’ve lost everything.” 

Jihyo set her glass down on the table, leaning back against the armchair. “You and Mina are both so melodramatic.” There was a bit of teasing in her voice. It wasn’t meant to be mean. 

Sana tipped her glass back until she got the last drop of wine in the glass, before she set it down, empty, on the table again. “I can’t help it. Life is more interesting with a bit of drama, anyway. Just a hint.” Sana did the gesture in which there was a small gap between her thumb and pointer finger. There was a bright grin on her face. 

“That’s why I get my drama from webtoons and tv shows,” Jihyo replied. “That’s all the drama I need.” 

Sana hummed, stretching her arms as she scooched down the couch so she was closer to Jihyo. Then, she leaned back so that her head rested against the square pillow laid against the couch armrest. “I think this could all be a webtoon. Mina’s the clueless protagonist. Nayeon’s the stubborn love interest. You’re the friend caught in the middle of it all.”

“And what about you?” Jihyo asked. “Who are you in all this?”

Pressing her lips together, Sana thought about it for a moment. Her eyes were beginning to flutter, as if it were a struggle to stay awake. “I’m just the one trying to make things,” she said, after a beat. 

“Mina’s been pretty distraught over this whole Nayeon thing,” Jihyo added, the taste of the wine tickling her throat. 

“Nayeon’s been distraught over it too. She just refuses to say anything to Mina. That’s why she’s the stubborn love interest,” Sana explained. “They just need to spend some time together. Alone. Nayeon’s convinced she doesn’t know Mina, so I’m going to change that.”

Jihyo’s eyebrows arched. 

“I can be very convincing when I want to be,” Sana assured, and Jihyo believed it. “I just have to start planting little seeds. I mean, I already have. They’ll both cave eventually.”

“I already talked to Mina about Nayeon, so we’re on the same page,” Jihyo replied. “Hopefully today will be a bit of the push they need.” 

Nodding, Sana smiled. She could imagine Mina, awkwardly navigating her way through the outing with Momo’s help. Sana knew Nayeon well enough to know the girl was probably still trying to play it cool. “I hope so.” Sana said. Then, her eyes fully closed. “I’m so sleepy, all of the sudden,” she murmured, curling up into a ball on her side and burrowing into the pillow. 

Jihyo smiled at the sight of Sana nestled on the couch. Mina had fallen asleep there a few times, in similar positions. “You should get some rest, then,” Jihyo whispered. Sana didn’t respond, so she took another sip of her wine before she stood up. “Well, so much for having a drinking partner.” Smile still lingering on her face, she headed back to the kitchen to put the groceries away.

  
  


◆◆◆

  
  


Nayeon, Mina, Chaeyoung and Tzuyu did make it to the pier in one piece, much to Nayeon’s pleasure. Momo and Dahyun had already arrived, and were standing outside of Momo’s car, leaning against the hood as they talked animatedly and burst into laughter. As the sounds of the footsteps of their friends approaching echoed off the pavement, Dahyun enthusiastically waved and Momo gave everyone a bright smile. 

“Look who finally made it,” Momo replied, crossing her arms. She hadn’t really seen Nayeon in awhile, since the girl had been avoiding her by default. It was nice to see her friend’s face, not too-down or distant looking like the times in passing she’d seen her recently on campus. 

Mina found herself gravitating to Momo’s side almost instantly, knowing her place for now was besides her. 

Momo reached for Mina’s hand, taking it in her own, and gave the girl a comforting smile, as if to say that this was okay, for the sake of pretending. Mina’s heart danced a bit at the sudden touch—she hadn’t been this close to Momo for a while besides purposefully being seen together on campus to keep up appearances—but Momo’s touch didn’t have the same world-stopping effect it used to have on Mina. 

Mina didn’t feel comfortable being the first to initiate anything at this point, so she’d let Momo lead. Besides, Momo knew what was expected of her and Sana in public when out with friends, after all. Giving Momo a small and thankful smile back, Mina fell in step beside her as Chaeyoung eagerly marched forward toward the pier and everyone else followed. 

The pier was a peaceful kind of desolate. As they all walked forward across the creaky planks, they joked and murmured in content. Chaeyoung, with an old film camera hanging around her neck, looked completely in her element, occasionally looking through the viewfinder a few times and snapping the shutter with a satisfying click. Nayeon managed to weasel her way into a picture at the end of the pier, posing for Chaeyoung as if she were a model. 

Dahyun practically ran into the frame as well, mirroring Nayeon’s poses but in a ridiculous, exaggerated manner. Nayeon immediately stepped up her game and it became a battle of who could come up with the most awkward and ugly poses. 

Chaeyoung’s laughter at her friend’s behavior traveled far in the open air, and once again Mina found herself feeling at home with these people. Sana’s friends.   
  
It was interesting how Momo and Nayeon both began acting like kids around their younger friends, goofy and rambunctious. Mina could imagine that if Sana were here, she’d be the same way. 

“I have to get a picture of you two,” Chaeyoung replied, motioning for Momo and Mina to stop walking. Mina froze, not liking the sound of that. 

Momo immediately pulled Mina in a bit closer. They were standing shoulder to shoulder, hands still entwined. 

“You need to do something more coupley,” Dahyun suggested. “You two look like you’re trying to be polite.”

Momo unlocked their fingers and put a hand around Mina’s hip. “That better?” Chaeyoung, looking through the viewfinder, nodded. 

Nayeon, who stood besides Tzuyu, crossed her arms as she watched the events transpiring before her. She couldn’t take her eyes off of Momo’s hand on Mina’s waist until Tzuyu said something to her and pulled her attention away. 

It was Tzuyu’s suggestion to stop for ice cream, even though they hadn’t eaten a real meal yet. No one could resist the temptation, though they knew it was a bad idea. So they ended up trudging along through the icy, salt-water tinged air, shivering while licking their dessert. 

Nayeon, walking besides Chaeyoung, couldn’t help but stare at Momo and Mina’s intertwined hands, and something stirred inside her. She’d seen Momo and Sana practically all over each other before practically an infinite amount of times, but this was somehow different. Now that Nayeon knew the truth, and how that hand in Momo’s was not Sana’s, but Mina’s, Nayeon felt...strange. Whatever it was, she didn’t like this feeling. 

She absentmindedly went to lick her ice cream cone, still staring at their tangled hands, only to accidentally take too big of a bite, resulting in shooting pain where the ice cream pressed against her gums. Dramatically, she cried out and instantly attempted to warm her gums by pressing her tongue against the spot that had caused her to suffer a momentary brain freeze. 

It was like that moment had marked the rest of the afternoon for the worst, tinging it with glumness and melancholy. 

No matter how hilarious her friends were, Nayeon couldn’t completely pull her mind away from Mina and Sana. Did she like both of them? Only Mina? Only Sana? Neither of them? All she knew is that she wanted to stride forward and walk between Mina and Momo, forcing them to let go of each other’s hands. 

Nayeon’s quietness as she retreated inside her head didn’t go unnoticed. Chaeyoung had pulled her aside once they’d stopped in a small boutique, asking under her breath if Nayeon was okay.

Of course Nayeon was _okay._ Why wouldn’t she be? A close friend and a new friend were just being fake girlfriends and playing their part, dutifully. Nevermind how Nayeon found herself becoming irritated for no reason. But Nayeon couldn’t tell any of that to Chaeyoung, of course. She lied, excusing her behavior on the cold and lack of sleep. 

Chaeyoung narrowed her eyes, somehow seeing right through her like she always managed to. She didn’t pry though, figuring the culprit behind Nayeon’s moodiness was probably a girl standing only a few feet away from them both. And besides, Nayeon was only partially lying. She was in fact really cold, starting to regret wearing her leather jacket and not something thicker. She pulled her turtleneck up to her chin again as soon as they were back outside, not caring if she looked ridiculous.   
  


Mina caught her eye, looking at Nayeon sympathetically as she realized the girl was cold. Nayeon hated it. She hated Mina looking at her with concern. That implied she cared. And maybe Nayeon did too, but she shouldn’t. She didn’t want to care. She just wanted things to be back to the way they were, where she didn’t have to be scared that everyone could hear the pounding in her chest when the girl who looked like her best friend but wasn’t so much as gazed in her direction—  
  
Momo followed Mina’s stare, seeing Nayeon shivering, and instantly ran up to the girl to pull her into a hug in an attempt to share some warmth. At the sight, Mina felt relieved. Relieved someone could try to comfort Nayeon, even if that person would never be her. 

“You shouldn’t have worn this jacket,” Momo scolded her, rubbing her arms up and down. “It offers no warmth whatsoever.” 

“That’s why I wore the turtleneck,” Nayeon mumbled, a bit embarrassed. Normally she wouldn’t be. But Mina was still staring and—

Mina stepped forward, leaning slightly to the side to see Tzuyu, Dahyun and Chaeyoung admiring a huge boat towards the end of the pier. Then she turned back to face Momo and Nayeon again. 

It was just the three of them, for a brief moment, while their other friends were occupied. Three girls who knew the truth. 

“I tried to tell her the same thing,” Mina added, smiling at Momo. 

Nayeon shrugged, taking a step away from Momo and stuffing her hands into her pockets, trying to be nonchalant. “I look good in this jacket. Fashion requires sacrifices, you know.” 

“And who are you trying to impress?” Dahyun said, suddenly appearing next to the girls. She’d left Chaeyoung and Tzuyu, who were attempting to take a selfie together with Chaeyoung’s camera, but eventually Tzuyu, whose patience had run out, pulled out her phone as an alternative. “Are you trying to impress me?” Dahyun teased. 

Nayeon just scoffed. “You wish.” 

Dahyun faked offense for a moment, before Nayeon slung her arm around the girl and grinned. 

Eventually the six girls moved as a group again, deciding it was time to retire from the pier for the day, at least from the outdoors. 

They decided to grab dinner at one of Momo’s favorite seafood spots on the water. Nayeon noticed that the minute they sat down, Momo had instantly dropped Mina’s hand. Though they were sitting next to each other, there was a polite gap between them. 

Nayeon noticed how Mina mostly listened, but would respond to something after Momo cued her in, doing her best to help Mina sell the role of Sana—like this was all a play and Nayeon was the one member in the audience who didn’t momentarily suspend her disbelief for the sake of enjoying the show. 

And now that Nayeon knew the truth, Mina’s struggle to play Sana couldn’t be more apparent. Mina didn’t feel the need to contribute much to the conversation, but seemed content all the same. She would laugh and smile along to everything everyone else said. There was no butting in like Sana did, nor shouting over the other girls to be heard. 

Mina didn’t bounce her legs at all when she sat, and didn't seem to have the subconscious need to always have her hands lingering on someone’s skin, whether it was Momo’s lap, Chaeyoung’s hands, or Dahyun’s shoulders, like Sana did. 

And Mina’s little quirks—the way she licked her bottom lip, drummed her fingers against the table soundlessly, even the way she chewed her food—all jumped out at Nayeon. 

Mina was _so_ different that Nayeon felt like a complete fool for not seeing the truth that had been right in front of her sooner. How had she not realized Sana had been a completely different person this whole time? 

Nayeon hadn’t realized she’d been staring. So when Mina’s eyes flickered to her own across the table, Nayeon immediately turned away and pretended to busy herself with the nearly empty bowl in front of her. 

She didn’t want Mina to know she’d been analyzing her every move this whole time. 

After all, they were just friends...if you could even consider them that.

Once everyone was done eating, and the sun had completely set, the girls decided it was a good time to head home. They said their goodbyes—Mina making sure to hug every single one of the girls despite the fact that she was about to get into the same car as Chaeyoung and Tzuyu. When it was her turn to hug Nayeon however, she hesitated. 

Nayeon seemed to sense the hesitation, and the fact that the rest of her friends were watching the two of them curiously. After all, Sana would _never_ pass up the chance to be affectionate with her friends. 

Sucking in a shallow breath, Nayeon bit the bullet and pulled Mina into a hug instead of waiting for her to make the first move. After a few seconds of delay, Mina’s hands found their way onto Nayeon’s upper back, pressing against it lightly. Nayeon could feel the stiffness of Mina’s upper body. She realized this was the first time they’d hugged. They’d been close a lot, sure, but somehow this felt different for them both.

“You are both going to the same place. You literally live in the same apartment,” Chaeyoung replied, rushing up against the girls and pretending to break them up. 

Nayeon and Mina let each other go and turned to Chaeyoung. Opening her mouth to speak, Nayeon was about to save Mina from the awkward encounter—only to be interrupted by the girl herself. 

“But Nayeon loves my hugs,” she replied, pouting for a second before she quickly put on a grin and looped her arm through Nayeon’s, pulling her close again. 

Eyes widening, Nayeon let herself be tugged by Mina in a bit of shock. That was such a _Sana_ thing to do. She glanced at the girl out of the corner of her eye, but Mina wasn’t looking at her, and was instead continuing to smile at the other girls around them as if that was nothing. 

Nayeon looked back at Momo, who was staring at Mina with an expression Nayeon figured was similar to the one she currently wore. Surprise. Uncertainty. 

As soon as Dahyun was saying her dramatic goodbyes and everyone’s attention was now on her, Mina quickly dropped Nayeon’s arm like lightning, taking a full step away from her when no one else was looking. Of course that had all been an act—just to put off any suspicion toward her. 

Mina had said she wasn’t good at acting, but now Nayeon thought that might be a lie. Or maybe she was just getting better at it. Either way, being close to Mina one second and apart from her the next was enough to make Nayeon’s chest tighten. She could still feel the imprint of Mina pressed against her.

The girls went their separate ways and Nayeon prepared for another stressful ride home. Luckily traffic had lightened up. Before they knew it, they were pulling up to Chaeyoung and Tzuyu’s dorm. Nayeon didn’t want her friends to go and leave her alone with Mina again. 

“This was fun,” Chaeyoung said, giving Mina and Nayeon, who were turned around in their seats to face the back, small smiles. “Let’s do that again sometime.” She then jumped out of the car. 

“Your driving was a bit better this time around,” Tzuyu said to Nayeon smugly, before she got out on her side as well.

Nayeon shook her head. “Those kids.” She watched as Chaeyoung reached out and took Tzuyu’s hand in her own before they walked back toward their building. Once they disappeared inside, Nayeon leaned back against her seat. “I’ll drop you off at your apartment,” she said to Mina without looking at her. 

“I can walk, you can just park in your normal spot,” Mina assured.

As Nayeon pulled away from the curb, her hands gripped the steering wheel tightly. “Mina, it’s like a minute drive away from my apartment. I’ll drop you off.” 

Mina opened her mouth to object but seemed to think better of it. “Okay,” she said quietly, looking out the passenger window. “Thanks.” 

There was a bit of silence again. Thick. Nayeon almost wanted to roll down the window, as if the tension would seep outside, instead of filling up the tight, suffocating space they were in. 

“I hugged you because Sana would never miss the opportunity to hug every one of us,” Nayeon explained, out of the blue. “I hope that was alright…”

“It’s fine, I knew why you did it,” Mina assured. “I feel like I know Sana well enough now to predict what she’d do in these situations, but it still can be hard to force myself to actually do those things.” 

Nayeon wondered if it was hard for Mina to pull her close again after their hug. 

“You did a good job today,” Nayeon replied. “It was convincing...mostly.” 

Mina shrugged. “I guess I’m getting better at it.” 

They arrived at Mina’s apartment building and Nayeon sighed with relief. She put the car in park and turned to Mina. 

“Thanks for driving. Have a good rest of your weekend.” 

Before Nayeon could say anything in response, Mina was already out the door, walking toward the building entrance. 

Mina quietly entered her apartment, only to find a sleeping Sana on her couch. The bottle of wine was instantly visible, and Mina took a step forward in both curiosity and worry. At the sound of the front door opening, Jihyo got up from her desk and stuck her head out from her bedroom doorway. 

“She’s been sleeping for a few hours but I haven’t had the heart to wake her up,” Jihyo confessed, smiling at Mina sheepishly. “Did you have a good time?”

Mina looked at Sana again before nodding slowly. “It was...interesting. I really like Sana’s friends.”

“Some more than others,” Jihyo muttered, only to be smacked by Mina. 

  
  


◆◆◆

  
  


Even though Sana had been tipsily rambling to Jihyo earlier that day, she did in fact make it her priority to try to subtly convince both Nayeon and Mina that they should spend some one on one time together. 

Sana could be more obvious with Mina, but with Nayeon she had to be careful. If she pushed her friend too hard, Nayeon would only grow more resistant to her ideas. 

Well, that’s how Sana told herself she was going to approach Nayeon, anyway. But she really couldn’t help herself.

After hearing the pier trip was a success, Sana had mentioned to Nayeon that she should take the time to get to know Mina separately, without anyone else around. 

“You told her you want to be _friends_ , right?” Sana asked, the next day when they were sitting at the kitchen table eating dinner together. 

Nayeon immediately regretted having told Sana about that previous encounter. 

“Now that you’re friends, it’s a friend thing to do. Friends need to at least know the basics about each other. Do you even know where she’s from?” 

Nayeon blinked, looking at Sana blankly. “No...I mean I can tell she’s a foreigner, but…” her voice trailed off. 

Sana simply smiled. “She is, she’s from Japan like me. But if you want to commit to this friend thing, you should really at least know that.” 

Sighing in annoyance, Nayeon crossed her arms. She’d never heard someone say the word “friend” so often in such a short period of time before. Nayeon knew Sana was right, though she didn’t want to admit it. After all, it was her that told Mina that she wanted to be friends in the first place.

It was a moment of weakness and stupidity, and now Nayeon was very much regretting it. 

It wasn’t Nayeon who acted first on this whole “being friends” thing, however. Only a few minutes after Sana and Nayeon’s conversation, in fact, Nayeon received a text from Mina, asking if she wanted to grab coffee sometime. As soon as she read the message, Nayeon nearly stopped breathing in pure shock. 

Sana, who was sitting beside her roommate, peered over Nayeon’s shoulder in curiosity. After seeing the text was from Mina, she made an “ooooo” sound, making Nayeon flinch and quickly hide her phone. 

“What are you doing?” Nayeon demanded, scrunching her face up in anger as it began to turn red. 

Ignoring the question, Sana just looked at Nayeon with a grin. “Going out with Mina? I know as a matter of fact her afternoon tomorrow is free. At least I don’t have any classes then.”

“It’s just grabbing coffee,” Nayeon muttered. “And I don’t even know if I’m gonna go.”

“Oh, c’mon!” Sana pouted. “Don’t tell me you’re scared.” She knew exactly how to push Nayeon’s buttons.

Scoffing, Nayeon rolled her eyes. “I am _not_ scared.”

“Fine, then. You can practice with me so you’re not so nervous for the real thing,” Sana replied. “Pretend I’m Mina, _which shouldn’t be so hard_. What are you gonna say to her?” She leaned forward, batting her eyes at Nayeon with an innocent smile on her face. 

Nayeon stood up immediately, turning away from Sana to hide the blush further creeping across her face. “That is so not fair, and I am not doing this.” She began to march over to her room dramatically. 

Sana stood up and began to chase after her. “But you’re still going to get coffee with her, right?” Sana asked. As soon as Nayeon made it into her room she closed the bedroom door, shutting Sana out. “Hey!” she whined, knocking on the door. 

After a minute of no response from Nayeon, and Sana’s relentless whining, Nayeon opened the door again just a crack, so that a bit of her face was visible to Sana. “Yes,” Nayeon said. “I’ll get coffee with Mina.” Then she shut the door again. 

  
  


◆◆◆

  
  


“Sana suggested that we should hang out,” was the first thing Mina said after Nayeon had sat down on the bar stool across from her at the small, two-person table in the buzzing local coffee-shop right on the main strip. 

It was her way of putting a barrier between the both of them by boarding up her feelings. As if seeing Nayeon was something she was indifferent about. Though after the pier, Mina had dreamt of Nayeon nearly every night. Guilty thoughts of Nayeon holding her hand, walking besides her, and just being with her had lulled her to sleep. 

And all the while, Mina hated herself for this. 

Falling for another person she couldn’t have, when she’d once had someone who was completely, utterly, irrevocably _hers_. And yet for reasons puzzling and unknown, Jeongyeon could never get Mina’s heart to beat like the way it was beating now for Nayeon. 

It was unfair, really. How cute Nayeon looked today. How cute Nayeon had looked every day Mina had seen her, even when it seemed Nayeon wasn’t even trying. The universe was truly cruel. 

“Right, Sana mentioned it was a good idea to me too, and I figured we’d meet and not upset her.” It was an entirely stupid, and untrue thing to say. For starters, Nayeon had come here completely of her own volition. She wanted to spend more time with Mina. To actually get to know the girl more when she wasn’t having to play pretend.

So why did those things come out of Nayeon’s mouth? What reason did she have for spitting out these words so thoughtlessly? 

The look on Mina’s face instantly made Nayeon want to slam her head on the table in regret. “Wait, no...I didn’t mean that,” Nayeon quickly interjected. “I wanted to meet up with you. To get to know you better.”

The frown on Mina’s face lifted slightly. “Well, I’m afraid I might disappoint you then. I’m not that interesting.”

“Now, that’s not true,” Nayeon replied. Mina was completely intriguing. Nayeon seeing her at the library, watching her from afar, was because Mina was in fact very interesting. 

Mina shrugged, not quite knowing how to handle the almost compliment. “What do you want to know about me?” 

“Sana mentioned you’re pre-med?” 

Mina nodded. “The plan is to one day be a general surgeon hopefully.”

She hadn’t really given a ton of thought as to what kind of surgeon she wanted to be until Sana had asked her on the very first night of the switch. Mina had truly done her research and decided, since she was intrigued by many different types of surgery, that general surgeon was the way to go.

Nayeon clicked her tongue, clearly impressed. “Wow, see that’s incredible. That must take so much schooling…”

“Don’t remind me,” Mina replied, smiling. “I still have years and years to go.” 

“I give you credit. I only have two years left to go before I’m out of here.” Nayeon paused, sensing the conversation was gonna lull if she didn’t come up with something else to say. “Why do you like the third floor?” Nayeon was talking about the library. 

Mina seemed a bit surprised by the question, but it didn’t phase her in the slightest. She answered without hesitation. “I like the silence when I work. I listen to music but if I hear any sounds underneath it, I can get distracted.”

“I’m the same way,” Nayeon agreed, happy to find they had something in common. “Sana could always get work done anywhere, I always envied that.”

The two girls fell into an awkward silence. 

“So you’re friends with Jeongyeon and Jihyo?” Nayeon asked, determined to regain some momentum. 

Mina nodded, sipping on her drink. “Jihyo is my roommate. And Jeongyeon is...well. A good friend.”

Nayeon wasn’t sure why, but Mina suddenly looked a bit nervous when bringing up Jeongyeon. There must’ve been some history there, Nayeon assumed, but she didn’t ask. 

“Sana has mentioned Jihyo before since they’re in classes often together. Though none this semester, I don’t think.”

Mina nodded her head in confirmation, so Nayeon continued. 

“I’m glad I got to meet them both at the party.”

The party. 

Both girls fell into silence again. This time it was a bit thicker. Mina fidgeted with her hands under the table. Nayeon’s left leg began to bounce. 

“Listen, Nayeon,” Mina began. “When we danced, I—“

“I’m sorry I got so...touchy,” Nayeon interrupted, face now a slight shade of red. “I must’ve made you uncomfortable. I mean, I wasn’t in my right mind. Sana’s my best friend. I love her and Momo both,” she declared.

“You didn’t make me uncomfortable,” Mina dismissed, voice barely audible. “Actually, the opposite. I feel very comfortable with you.” She finally flicked her eyes up to meet Nayeon’s, who was looking at her with a guarded expression.

“Oh,” was all Nayeon said. She sipped her coffee. “I’m glad, I suppose.”

Things were starting to click for Nayeon. Obviously Nayeon wasn’t the only one who had developed confusing feelings recently. If Mina liked her, what would that mean, going forward? 

“I’m sorry about the library,” Mina added. “I...wasn’t in my right mind then either. I was just tired of pretending. I wanted to do something for me, and not for Sana.”

Nayeon licked her lips absentmindedly at the thought of being only inches from the other girl. And the way they were both looking at each other’s lips. Had Nayeon not gotten up and interrupted, would they have gone through with it and kissed?

“It’s fine. This situation is unprecedented.” Nayeon didn’t want to dwell on their awkward situation any longer. “Anyway, what do you do for fun? Like in your spare time?”

Mina smiled a bit sheepishly. “Video games,” she replied, sounding a bit embarrassed. 

Nayeon wasn’t surprised by that. From what Nayeon had seen at the library, it looked like Mina was on her phone a lot. She always chalked it up to some sort of mobile game. 

“School and dance are kind of my life right now, though,” Mina continued. “I don’t have a ton of time for anything else.”

“Oh, that’s right! I almost forgot you dance!” Nayeon’s eyes lit up, suddenly intrigued. 

“Right..Momo is my TA.” Mina looked embarrassed again. 

“Wait...since you and Sana have both been going to each other’s classes, does that mean she’s been going to dance class?”

“Yeah,” Mina sighed, pouting. “I gave her a short lesson to help prepare her, and Momo has been working with her before classes to get her up to speed.”

“Oh my god, that girl has _zero_ coordination,” Nayeon replied, shaking her head at the thought of Sana doing intense choreography.

“I know,” Mina replied, giggling slightly. 

Nayeon’s eyes widened a bit. Again, she couldn’t help but wonder how Mina’s actual giggles sounded, but Nayeon supposed this was good enough for now. 

“She’s surprisingly not bad for a beginner though. She’s a lot more coordinated in the studio than in real life, it seems,” Mina shared. 

Funny how this all started with a slight misstep. That was all it took to send Sana tumbling forward on the stairs that night when Mina and her had first switched bodies.

“Well, that’s a relief. Or else I’d feel very sorry for everyone else in your class,” Nayeon said, smiling. 

“I miss dancing,” Mina murmured, mostly to herself, but loud enough for Nayeon to hear it. “Hopefully I’ll be able to go back to class soon.” 

Nayeon slid her coffee cup to the right and then moved it back to its original position. She simply couldn’t sit still. “I already told Sana this, but I want to help you both undo this if I can. It has to be possible, right? What’s done can be undone.”

Mina smiled at the girl, though the light didn’t quite reach her eyes. “One would think. I’ve tried looking for some sort of solution but there’s no records of this happening before.”

“And you’ve tried recreating that moment to see if it would switch you back?”

Nodding, Mina rested her chin in her hands. “The first night, we tried hitting our heads again and it didn’t do anything but hurt us both.”

Nayeon ran her pointer finger along the brim of her coffee cup, thinking. “It’s funny how different you and Sana are,” Nayeon replied quietly, staring at Mina intently. The gaze was so focused, Mina’s eyes instantly darted away. “Why do you think you guys switched? Magic? A curse? Some weird glitch in the matrix?”

“At first I thought it was an accident, but sometimes I’m not so sure.” Mina drummed her fingers against the table, eyes cloudy as she reflected on everything that happened in the past few weeks.

“What do you mean?”

Mina sighed, not sure why she felt compelled to share this truth with Nayeon. “I had a bit of a crush on Momo before all this.”

Nayeon raised an eyebrow, surprised, but said nothing. 

“I’ve known her for awhile. Longer than Sana has, actually. I’ve always admired her.” Mina stopped there, not feeling the need to elaborate further. Nayeon knew Momo better than Mina did, afterall. She knew just how amazing the girl was.

“Switching bodies with Momo’s girlfriend must’ve been awkward then,” Nayeon figured. “And Sana…”

“She knows everything.” Mina admitted, and Nayeon looked relieved to hear that. “But I don’t feel that way anymore, I realized. Having to pretend to be with Momo, I found out how frustratingly perfect Sana is for her. And like you said, I’m nothing like Sana.” 

Nayeon expected bitterness in Mina’s voice, but there was none. It was more like humble defeat, and it almost sounded like relief. Like that page in her life was finally torn off and she could be free.

“For what it’s worth, I like that,” Nayeon murmured. Mina’s eyes found hers again. “I like that you’re so different.” 

Again, Nayeon found herself wondering if they had been here under normal circumstances, if her chest would be aching as much as it was now. Guiltiness flared up in her mind, knowing she had no business feeling this way for the girl who looked like her best friend.

But Sana was undeniably beautiful, right? Nayeon had always thought that—had always hyped up her friend since they’d first met. So was it that much of a surprise that when Sana’s personality changed to something Nayeon was more attracted to that Nayeon’s heart would start to beat a little faster when the other girl was around? 

Nayeon rubbed her temples for a minute, willing these heavy thoughts to subside. 

“I wish we could’ve met at the library,” Mina replied, as if she had read Nayeon’s mind. “Before all this. Things would’ve been so different.” Her voice was heavy, full of longing.

But there was no use dwelling over what could’ve happened, Nayeon realized. As Nayeon looked up at Mina, who was wearing Sana’s face, Nayeon’s heart ached. 

_Dammit Sana_ , Nayeon thought. Sana must’ve known that her being with Mina would break her down, which is why Sana had recommended they talk. Any walls Nayeon tried to build from the start were useless. 

So much for just being friends.  
  


◆◆◆

  
  


Later that night, Nayeon and Momo were hanging out in Nayeon’s apartment while Sana was out at one of Mina’s late classes. They were laying on the couch, both starting to doze off, even though it was only about 6PM. 

Luckily, things between Nayeon and Momo hadn’t become awkward after Momo found out that Nayeon kind-of-sort-of thought she had a crush on Sana. In fact, neither of the girls had even mentioned it since they’d been hanging out again. Momo had welcomed Nayeon back with open arms, quite literally, and Nayeon only loved her more for that. 

“Hey Momo,” Nayeon asked, voice laced with drowsiness. The girl laying at the other end of the couch stirred. “How did you get used to Sana...being like this?”

Momo brushed some hair out of her face, and spoke without opening her eyes. “I don’t know,” she murmured, still half-asleep. “I just did. What other choice did I have?” 

Nayeon remained silent, thinking, so Momo opened her eyes and forced herself to sit up. “It’s still weird, but it gets easier. I almost don’t even think about it anymore. Sana is Sana.”

“Huh,” Nayeon breathed out. Momo made it sound so simple, so easy. Just like Sana and Momo made everything seem. 

“You want to ask Mina out, don’t you?” Momo said, pulling her knees up into her chest. 

Sitting up as well, Nayeon suddenly looked defensive. “Not necessarily,” she replied. “I’m just curious, that’s all.” 

Momo hummed, unconvinced. “What’s holding you back?”

“I always thought Mina was pretty, but I never got to know her, before this. And these feelings I thought I had for Sana are only because of the switch. So I should just like Mina, right? But what if it’s not that simple? What if I only feel like this because she looks like Sana? And I can’t necessarily separate my memories with Sana from Mina?” Nayeon tucked her hair behind her ears. “I just don’t want to hurt Mina. I don’t want to be dishonest with her.” 

Leaning forward so that Momo was pressed against Nayeon’s legs, she looked up at Nayeon thoughtfully. “If you keep making new memories with Mina, you won’t have that problem anymore. I don’t think that if they were to switch back today that you’d have any problem falling for Mina completely.”

Perhaps Momo was right and Nayeon was worrying for nothing. Her feelings were telling her to go one way, so what was the use in resisting? 

“You never liked Sana before this, so I don’t think she has anything to do with this. You’re just close with Sana already, but you can get just as close to Mina, too. Mina likes you,” Momo continued. “And you like her. That’s all.”

Nayeon closed her eyes, breathing out a sigh of relief. Normally Sana was the one to put her mind at ease, but today Momo had succeeded in doing that. “I guess you’re right.”

Momo smiled, satisfied. “You deserve to be happy, and Mina does too. Don’t be an idiot.” 

Eyes suddenly popping open, Nayeon let out a whine and smacked Momo. Momo simply laughed and let Nayeon push her off her legs gently. 

  
  


◆◆◆

  
  


Mina and Jeongyeon had decided to get dinner tonight, just the two of them. It’d been the first time they’d been out together in awhile, considering the last time it was actually Sana and not Mina that Jeongyeon had been out with. 

They drove a bit farther away than normal to go to one of Jeongyeon’s favorite Dim Sum places. That way, no one there would be other college students who might recognize Sana’s face. Everyone who went to their college knew Sana, it seemed, and Mina just wanted to go somewhere she could be herself.

“You know,” Jeongyeon said, managing to fit a whole dumpling in her mouth, “You look like you’ve been doing better these days.” She spoke with her mouth full, and Mina simply let her. She’d given up on trying to correct Jeongyeon’s table manners a long time ago. Now, she found it slightly endearing. Cute...but mostly gross. 

“I guess I have been,” Mina supposed, cutting up a dumpling of her own before she chewed on a small piece. “I’ve been getting used to this. Everything. It’s all still a lot but it’s getting easier.” 

“Have you and Sana worked out a game plan for if this lasts a long time?” 

“Not yet,” Mina sighed. “I guess we should now. It’s been 5 weeks.”

“More than one month,” Jeongyeon emphasized.

“Sana’s parents message her so often,” Mina replied. “I can tell they love her so much. I can’t go to their house when the semester ends and pretend to be their daughter. I just can’t.”

Jeongyeon nodded, looking at Mina sympathetically. “You and Sana will have to tell your parents if this is still a problem. I mean if Jihyo and I believed it eventually, they will too.”

“I know none of this is my fault, but my parents are still going to kill me. And I’m afraid they’re gonna be the ones that would turn to a doctor to try to get me back to normal. You know how I hate shots…” Mina moaned, recalling the last time she had to have blood drawn. 

“Hey, don’t stress yet. You still have over a month before the semester is over,” Jeongyeon said, gently tapping Mina’s shin under the table with her foot. “Anything could happen.”

Mina set down her chopsticks and took a sip of her water. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”

“Things are going to be alright,” Jeongyeon replied. “You’ll figure things out. You always do.”

At that, Mina huffed. “I wish that was true. Everything feels so out of my control right now and I hate it.”

Jeongyeon smiled her lazy smile at Mina. “Control freak.” Mina pouted at her, and Jeongyeon’s smile turned into a grin. “Just focus on the things you can change for now, then. Like Nayeon, for example.”

Mina, who was mid-bite into another dumpling, nearly choked on the food. “How do you know about that?”

The girl simply shrugged, leaning back in her chair. “I have my ways.”

“Jihyo,” Mina muttered, shaking her head. 

“I will neither confirm nor deny. But listen, just go for it.”

Setting her chopsticks down again, Mina sighed. “I’m not exactly in a position to go for it right now.” She jabbed her pointer finger back at herself. “In case you haven’t noticed. Things aren’t exactly normal.”

“But Nayeon knows the truth. So what are you so afraid of?”

“I’m not afraid _,_ ” Mina clarified. “Nayeon doesn’t like me like that. She doesn’t know me well enough.”

“That’s bullshit and you and I both know that. You’ve spent a lot of time with her recently.”

“Yeah, but as _Sana_ , not Mina. None of that time counts. Not to her, anyway.” Mina’s voice grew jaded, and Jeongyeon knew she had struck a nerve, but she wasn’t backing down. 

“What do either of you have to lose by at least giving it a try?”

“I don’t know. Everything. Nothing,” Mina let out an exasperated groan. “Why do you care about Nayeon and I, anyway?”

“Now that’s a stupid question,” Jeongyeon replied, smile instantly falling from her face. “I just want you to be happy, and if Nayeon provides that happiness then of course I want you to be with her.”

“But what about you, Jeong?” Mina asked, voice suddenly sounding shaky. “What about your happiness? I know you and Ji—“

Jeongyeon slammed her hand down on the table a bit more loudly than she intended, because Mina flinched, stopping mid-sentence. “I’m pretty content right now,” Jeongyeon said, shortly. “I’m enjoying single life.”

“I know you like Jihyo,” Mina repeated, this time being able to finish her sentence. It had been hard to piece together, but she could tell something had been starting to go on between her two friends, even if neither of them was aware of it yet. “Maybe you should take your own advice and just go for it.”

Grimacing, Jeongyeon rolled her eyes. But when she saw Mina was dead serious, Jeongyeon simply sighed and rested her face in her hands. “I’m not doing the dating-a-friend thing again,” she explained. “That didn’t go well for me before.”

Mina was hit with a wave of guilt again, and she suddenly opened her mouth to apologize, but Jeongyeon was faster. The smile returned her face and she held up a hand to stop Mina. “Look, maybe you’re right. But that doesn’t change the fact that you’re deflecting right now. You should just be upfront with Nayeon about how you feel, and if she doesn’t see you and her being together in the future then, her loss.”

Reaching across the table, Mina grabbed Jeongyeon’s hand and gave it a thankful squeeze. “You’re right. I’ll tell her next time I see her, I promise.”

Jeongyeon nodded, satisfied. 

  
  


◆◆◆

  
  


Since Mina had invited Nayeon out last time, Nayeon knew it was her time to step up and message Mina first this time around. It had been nearly a week since they’d gotten coffee together. 

Nayeon opted for something casual—lunch at her place. She didn’t feel like going out, and as per her last conversation with Mina, it seemed the girl liked to stay at home most of the time as well. They ended up opting for take-out, and Nayeon was pleased that Mina seemed fond of the idea. 

Mina showed up a few minutes after noon, knocking on the front door. It was a bit strange, suddenly having to knock, whereas before she’d let herself in with a key that she no longer was in possession of. 

Answering the door, Nayeon greeted Mina and ushered her inside. “Food should be here in a half an hour. I figured we could watch TV in the meantime?” 

And so the girls sat on the couch, a respectable distance apart, as Nayeon surfed through Netflix to try to find something to put on. They each shared their preferences, and Mina pointed out a show or movie she’d already seen as Nayeon scrolled past. Indecisive, the girls were still scrolling through Netflix when Nayeon’s phone buzzed. The delivery person was there with the food, and so Nayeon leapt up to grab it. “Be right back!” she announced, grabbing her wallet and keys and heading toward the door. 

“Wait, let me at least give you some money for a tip!” Mina replied, fishing into her purse to find Sana’s wallet—that she still had on her since it contained Sana’s ID and credit card. 

“It’s fine, I got it.” Nayeon waved her hand dismissively, grinning at Mina before she headed out the door. 

Mina huffed, but eventually moved to the kitchen table and sat down. Nayeon came back a minute later with a bag of food. Her mouth was practically watering at the smell. 

They dug in, chatting as they ate. The conversation was light—luckily not as tense as it had been the last time. It almost felt like they really were friends. 

After, when they cleaned up and sat back down on the couch, the atmosphere changed a bit though. It was if they were both holding their breaths, waiting for something to happen. 

“Anything look good to you?” Nayeon asked, with a slightly unsteady voice, picking up the remote again and scrubbing through the Action / Adventure section. 

In response, Mina gently placed her hand over the hand Nayeon held the remote with and lowered it. The touch made Nayeon’s breath hitch as a reflex, but she didn’t pull away. 

“Nayeon,” Mina said. “There’s something I’ve been meaning to talk with you about.” 

Gulping, Nayeon turned to face Mina, trying to remain as unfazed as possible, at least on the outside. “What is it?” 

Mina licked her lower lip, taking a breath. Her hand still remained on top of Nayeon’s, warm and steady. Her anchor. “You know how I mentioned I feel comfortable around you?” she began.

Nayeon nodded.

“Well, it’s strange, because it normally takes me awhile to warm up to people. But the minute we started talking the first night we met, it was like you were an old friend. Even though I was in this unreal situation, you helped me calm down. You made things okay.” Her voice was small. “I thought at first, maybe that was just...Sana’s feelings, lingering, or something. Like an imprint she’d left behind in her body. That’s what I told myself, anyway. But then we were dancing at the party and I felt so free with you. I didn’t have to feel guilty being close to you, nor was I obligated to be near you then.” 

“I didn’t think much of it, again. Everything was so confusing," Mina continued. "But then when you went MIA, I realized I missed you...a lot. I just missed your presence in the apartment. And I got really scared I’d done something wrong and ruined things between us. Not for Sana’s sake, but because I just couldn’t stand the thought of not spending time with you again. Then at the library, everything you were saying clicked. And I realized you liked me. Well, you liked Sana, anyway. At that moment, I was Sana to you, so I just leaned in because I wanted to kiss you.”

Mina was breathless now, feeling light headed from rambling. “I’m not very good with words but, you understand me, right?” Looking at Nayeon desperately, Mina could feel her eyes beginning to well up with tears. She always got like this when she spoke about anything too emotional.

Nayeon’s lips were parted, and she was staring at Mina with wide eyes. She collected herself after a moment, moving the hand that was under Mina’s so that their fingers became intertwined. Mina didn’t fight it nor pull away, she simply squeezed back, looking a bit relieved.

“I’ve been really confused about my feelings lately, too. First, when I thought I was developing feelings for Sana, and even more so when I found out it was really you all along. I didn’t want to be unfair to you and commit to something when I wasn’t sure about how I felt, but now I am sure, finally.” She took a shaky breath. “I like you, and you like me. It’s simple, right?” 

The two girls looked at each other in awe. “I like you and you like me,” Mina repeated quietly, like a mantra. “Are you sure it’s me you like, and not Sana?”

Nayeon nodded aggressively. “I like _you_ , Mina. I mean, yes I wish you were actually in your own body right now and things weren’t so mixed up. But I guess things don’t have to be complicated if we don’t want them to be. And all I know is that I want to be with you.”

Mina looked a bit stunned. Her eyes were shining. “Even right now?”

“Yes,” Nayeon responded. “Because we don’t know when you’ll be back to normal again, and I don’t want to wait for something that may never happen.”

She looked down at Mina’s lips, then back up again into the girl’s eyes. For the first time since this all began, Nayeon didn’t think about Sana at all when she saw Mina. 

Mina was ready. Nayeon knew that she was finally ready, too.

Leaning in, Nayeon held her breath. Their future together was scary, but finally tangible and real. This weird, entangled mess that both of them would make work, somehow. Nayeon gently placed her right hand on the back of Mina’s neck, steadying herself and Mina as the distance between them decreased. The room was still, and the only sound Nayeon could hear was the blood rushing through her ears. 

Mina’s lips didn’t taste the same way Sana’s had all those years ago when they drunkenly kissed at their first college party. They didn’t taste like the bitterness of cheap beer, but instead, the sweetness of honey chapstick. Nayeon closed her eyes, lightly increasing her grip on Mina, as if the girl might slip through her fingers at any moment. Fingers intertwined with the girl’s soft hair. Nayeon could feel Mina’s hand lightly resting on her thigh. It was beginning to move higher and higher. 

A soft sound escaped the other girl’s lips. Soft at first, then louder. Vibrating against Nayeon’s. Though Nayeon’s eyes were closed, her senses were on fire. Mina placed her free hand on Nayeon’s lower back, and the distance between them grew even smaller. All Nayeon could think was _Mina, Mina, Mina_ —

  
A loud exclamation from Mina—a strange mix of surprise and confusion—suddenly erupted throughout the room, causing Nayeon to reflexively flinch. Before Nayeon had time to react further, there were hands on her shoulders, lightly pushing Nayeon backwards and breaking the two girls apart. Nayeon’s eyes shot open with a sense of dread. The first thing she saw was Mina with wide, open eyes, staring at her from where she’d ended up on the other side of the couch, mouth open in a small “o.” 

“Oh my god!” Mina cried, eyes boring into Nayeon in a way that made her stomach drop. “What just happened?” 

Nayeon sat with her mouth hanging open as she combed through her brain for anything to say. Going from the kiss to whatever was happening now made her feel dizzy. Almost like she’d just been awoken during the middle of a very realistic dream. 

The kiss had been good. Magical, even. Something Nayeon felt as though she’d been waiting for a very long time. What could have gone wrong so quickly? 

Mina blinked a few times before she turned her head and looked around the room, as if she was disoriented and familiarizing herself with her surroundings. “Did we…” Her brows furrowed, and then her eyes widened again. 

“I’m sorry,” Nayeon finally stammered, fighting the urge to simply get up and run out the door in embarrassment. “Was that not okay? I didn’t mean to overstep, I just thought that you—”

“Nayeon,” the girl interjected, with a strange look on her face. “It’s okay.” The strange look evaporated into a large, earsplitting smile. Then, she did something that completely dumbfounded Nayeon. She laughed. 

Nayeon could only stare with her mouth agape as the girl in front of her burst into a small fit of giggles before she finally got a hold of herself and let her face relax into a bright grin. “It’s me! Actually _me_. Sana! We switched back, Mina and I!” 

And then the girl sitting next to Nayeon, who was apparently now Sana, practically launched herself into Nayeon, knocking the girl backward against the couch. Falling into her. Nayeon barely had time to react before her best friend’s arms were wrapped around her tightly, and the girl’s face was nuzzled into her neck. 

Blinking a few times, all Nayeon could do was slowly return the hug, rubbing the other girl’s back. “Are you fucking _kidding_ me? Could your timing have been any worse?” she whined. But Nayeon was laughing too, melting into Sana, as if her feet were finally making contact with the pedals of a bike she hadn’t rode for quite some time—effortless. 

Nayeon could feel wetness against her skin as Sana’s laughter turned to tears. Tears of relief, and tears for all that her and Mina had been through. Finally, it was all over.

“Why now?” Sana wondered out loud, voice slightly muffled as her mouth was still pressed against Nayeon. “Was it because of the kiss?” Then she suddenly seemed to let the full realization of her words truly process, because she lifted her head and looked at Nayeon with shining, excited eyes. “Oh my god! You and Mina _kissed_!” 

Nayeon stuck out her bottom lip, pouting as she could feel heat creep across her face. “Yeah, I guess,” she mumbled.

“You guess? I felt it! You had a handful of my hair! And she had my hand on your thigh! And your lips—”

Nayeon shoved Sana off of her lightly, groaning. “Can you just forget that ever happened?” 

Sana giggled again, grinning. But after a few more seconds of Nayeon continuing to whine, Sana finally agreed. “I’ll forget it happened, but promise me that you and Mina won’t. You need to go find her! Well, after her class gets out, anyway. I was in the middle of one of her med lectures.”

The thought of Mina suddenly not being here, with Nayeon, made her heart drop. Seeing how confused Sana was at first, she could only imagine how confused Mina was as well. 

“I’m going to give her a little space to get settled,” Nayeon replied. When Sana made a face at her, Nayeon simply shrugged her shoulders. “This must be a little disorienting, right?”

Getting up off the couch, Sana stretched her arms. “It feels like being home. Oh, how I missed you,” she murmured, hugging herself and closing her eyes. “I’m never gonna complain about my life ever again!” 

Nayeon rolled her eyes, getting up and smoothing down her hair. “Yeah, we’ll see how long that lasts.” 

Sana kicked Nayeon’s shin and the girl yelped. 

“It had to have been the kiss, honestly. I don’t know what else could’ve switched us back. But either way, I’m not gonna think too hard about it now and just be thankful it happened,” Sana said. She couldn’t stop smiling. 

“Let’s just hope something like that never happens again. Now, I’m gonna get out of here. I don’t wanna be home to hear you and Momo inevitably _fraternizing_.” Nayeon made a face of disgust. 

“How do you know that’s gonna happen?” Sana asked, pouting. Though there was a glint in her eyes.

“Oh please, it’s been what, almost six weeks? I don’t know how you two are even alive right now.” 

Sana whined again, and Nayeon gave her a smug smile. “I’ll be at the library if you need me. I’m really glad you’re back, but your timing still sucks.” She blew the girl a kiss before heading into her room to gather her things. 

  
  


◆◆◆

  
  


It truly was Mina’s luck to go from kissing Nayeon one second to abruptly being back in a lecture the next. The switch was disorienting and a bit frightening. There was no collision. No fall. No warning. Just the feeling of her fingertips resting gently against her laptop keyboard instead of Nayeon’s leg. One was much warmer and softer than the other.

At the sudden change, Mina jolted upright, nearly falling backward in her chair and causing her classmates around her to jump. After she managed to get an understanding of her new surroundings, Mina quickly mumbled an apology, trying her best to remain calm. She glanced down at her hands, then back up at the projection screen at the front of the classroom listing familiar medical terms. She was back in her own body, finally. 

Mina sat through the rest of the lecture, but didn’t take in a single word her professor said. Her mind was trying to unscramble her jumbled thoughts and emotions. Somehow, her and Sana had switched back. How, Mina wasn’t sure. But maybe that didn’t really matter. She was back. No more playing pretend, no more lies and secrets. 

And then there was Nayeon. Nayeon, whose lips were pressed against hers. Whose fingers were threaded through her hair, pulling her closer. Nayeon, whose skin was electrifying. 

Would everything go back to the way it was before? Did Mina even truly want that anymore? 

As she walked back to her apartment like a zombie, Mina realized the answer to that question was firm and decided. No, Mina didn’t want things to go back to how things were, because that meant there’d be no Nayeon. 

She’d received an excited text from Sana, asking her to meet back at her apartment so they could return each other’s phones. On the way there, Mina quickly deleted the few apps she had downloaded on Sana’s phone to pass the time. 

Knocking on the door, Mina could feel her chest tightening up. She wasn’t sure why, but she was nervous to see Sana now. Sana and _Nayeon_. Sana answered the door almost immediately, as if she’d been waiting in the kitchen for Mina to arrive. As soon as Mina stepped foot inside the apartment, Sana immediately squished her in a big hug. 

Letting out a surprised exhale, Mina was able to wiggle her arms free from Sana’s hold and hug the girl back. 

“I’m so relieved,” Sana squealed, letting Mina go after a minute.”Oh my god, look at you,” she took Mina’s face in her hands and let out another squeal. 

“Sana,” Mina mumbled, letting her eyes drop and stare at the floor, feeling blush creep across her cheeks. She cleared her throat.

Dropping her hands from Mina’s face, Sana gave her a bright smile. “Sorry, it’s just—I can’t believe it’s over.” 

“Did you do anything...to make this happen?” Mina asked, slipping off her shoes.

Sana shook her head. “I was just in your lecture...and then suddenly Nayeon was kissing me.” 

Mina quickly hid her face with her hands, completely dying of embarrassment. “Um, yeah...sorry about that.” 

Giggling, Sana quickly tugged Mina’s hands away from her face so she could get another look at her. “It’s okay. I’m so happy for both of you.” 

At the mention of Nayeon, Mina raised up on her tip-toes and peered around Sana, looking for the girl. 

Seeing Mina clearly looking for Nayeon, Sana smiled knowingly. “Nayeon went to the library. You should go find her there.” 

“I’m not sure she’ll want to see me,” Mina admitted, holding onto her left elbow with her right hand. 

“Now that’s just silly,” Sana mused. “You both apparently worked things out quickly.” Her smile turned smug.

Tucking a strand of hair behind her hair, Mina shrugged. “What if she really doesn’t like me? The real me.” 

“That’d be impossible. She’s head over heels for you.” Mina didn’t look convinced, so Sana continued. “You know, she’s never really expressed much interest in anyone before since I’ve known her, not besides little crushes here and there. But when she talks about you, I can just tell...it’s genuine. And I’m very good at reading people, I’ll have you know.”

Mina made a face, scoffing. “Well I _know_ that’s not true.” 

Sana pouted in protest for a second before her mouth quickly turned up into a grin again. “Okay, I may have been proven wrong about that, but I do know Nayeon. And I know she wants to see you.”

Smiling back shyly, Mina nodded, finally accepting that. She did really want to see Nayeon, despite the nerves fluttering in her stomach. “Oh! Our phones,” Mina said, reaching into her pocket to pull out Sana’s phone for her. Sana reached into her back pocket and extended Mina’s phone out to her as well so they could be swapped. It felt nice for Mina to feel her own phone in her hand again. 

“I’m gonna stop back home and change before I go to the library,” Mina replied. “Then I’ll wash your clothes and give them back to you.” 

Sana nodded eagerly. “I’ll do the same with yours!” 

Mina’s eyes lowered to take in the sight of Sana sporting one of her favorite flannels. It looked good on her.   
  
Despite the hell they’d gone through, there were things Mina was going to miss about living Sana’s life. For starters, Mina was secretly going to miss so many people waving to her and saying hello on campus. The way that most people looked at Sana was different than the way she was used to being seen. 

Then, there was seeing Momo often. Mina’d miss seeing the girl outside of dance class in her casual element—so goofy and adorable. 

She’d miss hanging out with Sana’s friends, too. Dahyun, Tzuyu and Chaeyoung were all so much fun. She’d never have met them had this switch not happened.

Lastly, she’d miss seeing Sana. Before this, Sana was practically a stranger. Someone she didn’t even like. But now Mina felt as though her and Sana shared a sacred bond, something no one else could ever have. 

“Are you okay?” Sana asked, interrupting Mina’s thoughts. 

That’s when Mina felt the dampness on her cheeks. She quickly turned away and brushed off her tears, embarrassed. “I’m fine,” she replied, sniffling. “This has all just been a lot.”

Sana’s face softened, taking a step toward the girl. “I know.” Sana pulled Mina into a hug again, letting the girl rest her head against her shoulder, similar to how Nayeon had held Sana earlier. 

It felt nice. Safe. Sana leaned her head down so that her cheek rested against the top of Mina’s head. Just like Mina, Sana reflected on the fact that before this, Mina was just someone Momo knew. Someone she barely even paid any mind. 

It made Sana sad. Sad that her and Mina didn’t know each other better sooner. Sad that destiny hadn’t crossed their paths before this. 

But that was okay, cause Mina was in Sana’s life now. And that wasn’t gonna change.

They stood like that for a while, holding onto each other. Had Sana not cried earlier, she certainly would’ve been joining Mina now. After a few minutes, Mina sniffled again and let Sana go, wiping her eyes with the cuffs of her sleeves.

“Feeling better?” Sana asked, hands still lingering on Mina’s forearms. She rubbed them up and down a few times before Mina nodded.

“Sana?” Mina asked, in a small, slightly hoarse voice. 

“Hm?”

She sniffled one last time before her frown turned into a small, shy smile. “Thank you.”

Sana’s eyes widened, and her heart exploded with pure fondness. 

The smile on Mina’s face grew so large that it exposed her gums. Sana thought, right then, that Mina looked the cutest when she was like that. So happy that the joy encompassed her whole face, and her eyes looked like crescent moons. 

“Thank you for being you, too.”

  
  


◆◆◆

  
  


Mina found Nayeon sitting at the same table at the library she’d found her at the last time she was there, facing away from the stairs. Nayeon was bobbing her head to an inaudible song, lost in thought as music played through her headphones. 

Approaching the girl slowly, Mina dragged her feet, debating on changing her mind and walking away. But no, this was the moment of truth and clarity. Mina’s feelings for Nayeon remained unchanged, but would Nayeon’s feelings shift at all?

“Nayeon,” Mina said, quietly. And despite the music blaring in Nayeon’s ears, she somehow managed to sense the girl’s presence. She looked up to see Mina standing beside her, smiling softly. 

Immediately taking out her AirPods, Nayeon turned her full attention to Mina as the other girl sat down across from her. 

“Sana and I switched back, but I guess you already know that,” Mina began, unable to meet Nayeon’s gaze. 

“It was a bit...jarring, yeah,” Nayeon admitted, grinning. “I’m really glad you’re both back to normal.”

Mina finally lifted her head, seeing Nayeon watching her curiously. Finally she was seeing her, the real _her._ Was that a good thing? “Me too, I was starting to believe we’d never switch back at all.”

There was a bit of an awkward pause before Nayeon closed her laptop and rested her chin in her hands, continuing to stare at Mina. “It’s nice to finally see you. The real you. I think this look suits you better, anyway.”

“Thank you,” Mina replied, feeling her face flush as she wrung her hands underneath the table. “I hope this doesn’t change anything.”

Nayeon furrowed her brow. “What? Change something?”

Mina bit her tongue, not really wanting to have to say the words Nayeon was unknowingly pulling from her. And yet, she’d say them anyway. She needed Nayeon to hear them, at least once, even if the aftermath was rejection. “You know….us.” She paused, taking a breath. “I really like you, Nayeon.” 

For a moment, the small smile on Nayeon’s face dropped, and in that time Mina’s fears raged on in her head. Nayeon only liked her because she looked like Sana. Now that she didn’t look like the girl anymore—

“I like you too, Mina,” Nayeon said, breaking eye contact. She grabbed one of her hoodie’s drawstrings and chewed on the plastic tip for a moment before she realized what she was doing and stopped the habit immediately. “This doesn’t change anything for me.”

The two girls finally looked at each other again, and a wave of shyness and relief washed over them both. “You’re really beautiful,” Nayeon murmured, getting a sudden burst of courage. 

“You are too,” Mina blurted out. And both girls glanced away with blush speckled across their cheeks. “I feel lucky that through all this, I got to meet you.” 

“Maybe it was fate,” Nayeon replied, with the corners of her mouth quirked up into a cocky smile. 

And maybe it was. Maybe everything that happened was meant to lead to this moment, now. Nayeon and Mina, sitting across from each other. No longer strangers, but no longer friends, either. Something more. 

“Let’s start over,” Nayeon suggested. “From the beginning again. Pretend I finally got the courage to approach you at the library. It’s just another normal day.”

“We both know that never would’ve happened,” Mina scoffed. “I would’ve been the one to approach you first.”

“You didn’t even notice me before!” Nayeon whined, frowning. 

“That’s because you’re at this table at the very end of the room!” Mina explained. “I’m surprised you even noticed me.”

“How could I not when you look like this?” Nayeon mused. 

Huffing, Mina turned away, feeling her face heat up. “Your flattery won’t work on me.”

“It’s not flattery, but fine, I’ll give you this one. You finally approached me and sat down. Now, I’ll start.” 

”Are we really doing this?” Mina groaned, but there was a small smile on her lips. One that Nayeon was always able to conjure up so effortlessly. 

“Yes we are.” Nayeon extended her hand out to Mina across the table, letting it hang in the air. “Hi, my name is Nayeon. What’s yours?” There was a grin on her face, goofy and bright.

Mina rolled her eyes but reached out to take Nayeon’s hand, giving it a firm shake. “I’m Mina, nice to meet you. Do you mind if I get some work done here?”

Nayeon made a show of looking around. “There are some other empty tables still available...but, yeah I don’t mind.” The smile on her face was radiant. 

And just like that, Mina began to take out her laptop and notebook from her backpack as if this was any normal day. The two girls worked in silence for a minute before Mina looked upward and caught Nayeon sneakily staring at her. 

They both broke out into grins. 

  
  


◆◆◆

  
  


The moment Momo opened the apartment door, Sana leapt off her bed and sprinted out into the common space, practically launching herself into Momo’s arms. “Sana!” Momo exclaimed, laughing as she almost fell backward but managed to remain upright. 

“I know I just saw you yesterday. But I missed you. I missed you so much,” Sana replied, hugging Momo tightly. 

Momo lightly pushed Sana off of her so she could get a good look at her girlfriend. “I was just starting to get used to seeing you as Mina, too. But god, I’m so happy you’re back to normal.” 

Instantaneously, Momo and Sana’s lips crashed together with the force of an unstoppable wave. Their mouths remained together as they both blindly worked their way to Sana’s bedroom. They’d slightly miscalculated their steps, bumping into the doorframe slightly, giving them a short excuse for their lips to separate only long enough to let out a few giggles. Momo corrected their path, as Sana was facing backwards, and guided her to the bed. 

The moment Sana felt the side of her mattress against the back of her thighs, she spun Momo around and switched positions with her, slowly lowering Momo’s back against the bed as they continued to kiss. Sana climbed up onto the bed as well, straddling Momo as she moved forward.

Nayeon made the right call in giving Sana and Momo free reign of the apartment for the evening. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for going on this journey with me, and for being patient with my updates! There will be a final, short(ish) epilogue chapter to follow—just to wrap everything up.


	7. epilogue: under stars

“You guys are so cute together,” Sana gushed. She had practically been fawning over Mina and Nayeon the entire time Mina had been at their apartment. It was the first time Mina was officially invited over as Nayeon’s girlfriend. And though Mina knew the apartment far too well, Sana was acting as though she’d never been there before. 

As Sana was gathering her things to go meet up with Momo, she convinced Mina that the four of them should all go out on an official double date.  
  
  
Nayeon had been silently looking at Mina, mentally begging her girlfriend to decline the offer. But of course, Mina being Mina, she politely said yes, and Sana was ecstatic. “Let’s plan for this weekend then! Momo and I will let you know the details later.”  
  
  
And with that, Nayeon was shoving Sana out the door. 

“I officially know how Sana and Momo must feel when I’m hovering,” Nayeon said after the door shut, rubbing her temples to calm herself. “I’m sorry about that.” She looked at Mina apologetically.  
  
  
  
Mina looked unbothered though, if not slightly amused. “It’s fine, I’d expect nothing less from Sana.”   
  
  


“You didn’t have to say yes to that double date, you know,” Nayeon continued, moving to the couch to sit down. Mina followed behind, sitting down beside her.   
  
  


Mina shrugged. “It’ll be fun. Besides, it’s funny to see you so embarrassed.” The stoic look on her face turned into a sly smile.  
  
  
  
Nayeon huffed and crossed her arms. “Well, I’m glad my suffering brings you pleasure.”

Shaking her head, Mina rolled her eyes, but her lips remained curled up into a smile. “What are you so afraid of, anyway? They’re your best friends.”

Nayeon, who had started chewing on one of the drawstrings of her hoodie, simply shrugged, not lifting her gaze up from the spot it was glued to on the floor. “I’m not afraid of anything,” she insisted, still gnawing on the plastic drawstring tip. Mina looked at her knowingly, so Nayeon finally sighed and stopped chewing. 

“Sana and Momo can be a lot sometimes. I just don’t want to overwhelm you, or make you feel like we’re going too fast.”

Mina clicked her tongue, eying her girlfriend fondly. “I know exactly what I’m getting into when I’m with the 3 of you. I _was_ Sana for a while, remember? And we’re moving at a perfect pace, but I’ll tell you if I’m ever feeling uncomfortable, okay?”

That seemed to satisfy Nayeon, who nodded. She reached out absentmindedly and took one of Mina’s hands in her own, running her thumb along the girl’s knuckles. 

“Has it been hard adjusting? Being back to normal, I mean,” Nayeon asked. She had been avoiding asking Mina about the topic so far, because her girlfriend never talked about it. But Nayeon was too curious to resist. 

Mina thought for a moment, staring down at Nayeon’s hand over her own, before nodding. “I got so used to living Sana’s life that even though I’m back in my own it still feels...different. Like it’s not even my life anymore at all.”

Nayeon was quiet, listening to Mina thoughtfully. She knew the girl still had more to say so she simply nodded, encouraging her to continue.

“I guess the whole incident changed me a bit. I’m not the same person I was before.” Mina paused for a moment, biting her lip. “Sometimes I find myself missing it—though it was scary at first, and inconvenient. It was thrilling at times, too. Nice to try being someone else for a change, you know?”

“I get it,” Nayeon assured. “It was a challenge for you and a break from your routine. An opportunity to experience new things, meet new people…”

“To meet you,” Mina finished. It made Nayeon smile dorkily. “But it is such a relief to be back to normal. To just be me, all the time.”

Mina grabbed a strand of her hair and held it between her fingers. “It has been a bit difficult getting used to this, too. I’ve never been blonde before, so seeing myself in the mirror for the first time was a shock.”

“It really suits you though,” Nayeon assured, reaching out to lightly pat Mina’s hair. It was soft and smooth, sifting through her fingers. 

“I guess it does, considering it practically made you drool at Jennie’s party,” Mina replied, biting back a grin.

Nayeon immediately let go of Mina’s hair, groaning while covering her face with her hands. “Let’s just agree to forget about that night, alright?” 

Mina couldn’t argue with that. It had been a night of immense ups and downs. But mostly downs. She pulled Nayeon’s hands away from her face and gave her girlfriend a nod. “Now, what movie are we gonna watch?”

It felt so nice, doing simple things like this together. Sitting on the couch in silence as they watched a movie, enjoying being near one another. Well, _almost_ silence anyway. Nayeon on occasion would interrupt with questions, only to receive a grumbled “why don’t we keep watching and find out?” from Mina. 

These small dates were about as far as they’d come in the two weeks they’d been together so far. Nayeon didn’t mind, though. After Mina had returned to normal, an awkwardness settled between them as they both adjusted to the change. Of course, that didn’t change the fact that both of them couldn’t help but think of the kiss they shared that had been abruptly cut short when Mina and Sana had switched back. 

The next time they did kiss, it would be like it was their first kiss all over again. Nayeon yearned to feel Mina’s _real_ lips, to feel her skin beneath her fingers, to feel their knees touch as their bodies twisted toward one another—

But Nayeon had to wait. She had decided to leave this up to Mina. Whenever Mina was ready, she would be too. So, for now she settled for Mina’s hand intertwined with her own.   
  
  


* * *

The double date Sana and Momo decided on was bowling. Nayeon had pointed out how lame that was, but Sana just ignored her roommate. “We both know the only reason you think it’s lame is because I beat you last time,” she retorted, sticking her tongue out at Nayeon. 

They were both in their kitchen. Sana was sitting at the counter doing some course work, while Nayeon stood in front of the open fridge, trying to decide what she was in the mood for. Shutting the door of the fridge swiftly, Nayeon spun around to face Sana and huffed. “You just got insanely lucky. That victory had nothing to do with skill whatsoever!”

Sana grinned, shrugging her shoulders smugly. “Sounds like something a sore loser would say.”

“Alright, fine. You won’t be singing the same tune when I beat you tomorrow,” Nayeon said. It would have been a challenge if Sana actually cared. The truth was, Sana had never cared much for winning. If she won, then great. If she lost, it didn’t matter, so long as she enjoyed herself and was with good company. 

Nayeon on the other hand...well. Sana had to admit, Nayeon _had_ gotten slightly better at graciously accepting defeat over the years they’d known one another. She was still known to throw a fit here and there. 

Sana was curious to imagine how Nayeon would behave with Mina there. Would she be her crazy, competitive self? Or would she be able to simmer it down a bit?

The next day, Sana was pleasantly surprised to see Nayeon really was on her best behavior at the bowling alley. Though, Nayeon’s face started twitching when Momo bowled 3 strikes in a row, much to everyone’s surprise, including Momo herself. 

Nayeon was dead last, but each time she got a gutter ball she managed to hold back any curse words. Mina made sure to give her supportive and reassuring cheers. 

“Alright Mina, it’s up to you to redeem us after losing the first game,” Nayeon replied. The four girls were sitting around a table behind their bowling lane, snacking and drinking. They’d broken out the soju, so Nayeon’s head was full and content. 

“Why me?” Mina asked. She hadn’t drank much, but her cheeks were still flushed. “You could win the next game.”

Nayeon barked out a laugh. “I’m afraid that’s not going to happen. I’m a lost cause.” There was a bit of fake bitterness to her voice. Not real bitterness, because Nayeon was too happy and tipsy to remotely care about being in last place. Mina was beside her, out in public, as her _girlfriend._ And it felt natural and right. 

“Miracles could happen,” Mina added, giving Nayeon a slick grin. “You never know! I mean if Momo won with that technique, the sky’s the limit for you.”

Sana shook her head aggressively, pouting at Mina. “What are you talking about, that was pure skill!” 

“More professional bowlers should bowl like me, clearly I’m onto something,” Momo replied, shrugging. 

The 4 girls giggled, and Nayeon snuck a glance over at Mina, who was shining despite the grimy, unflattering lighting of the bowling alley. She fit right into their group effortlessly. Nayeon could tell Sana and Momo must’ve felt the same, because they acted no differently than when it was just the 3 of them. 

When Momo got up to order some more food, Sana leaned closely to Nayeon and Mina despite her girlfriend being well out of earshot. “You know, Momo’s birthday is coming up, and I was thinking I should actually throw her a surprise party.”

Mina’s eyebrows raised. “Oh, you were serious about that?” 

“Well, in the moment it was the best excuse I could come up with when I was talking to Jeongyeon, but I think Momo would actually really enjoy it.” 

Nayeon tilted her head in confusion, brow furrowing. “Best excuse, what?”

Sana waved a hand dismissively, “I had to come up with some excuse to Jeongyeon as to why Mina would be hanging out with me shortly after we first switched. You know, before the truth was out. Anyway, that’s not important. I wanted to ask, would you both mind helping me?”

“Of course!” Mina and Nayeon both said at the same time. Then they smiled at each other.

“I don’t have any solid plans yet, but I’ll keep you both in the loop!” Sana exclaimed, just in time for Momo to begin walking back to the table with some refills in hand.   
  
  


* * *

Turns out, Sana didn’t need much help. She covered all planning herself, and all she needed Nayeon for was an extra pair of hands, while Mina did the distracting. The plan was for Mina to work on a dance cover with Momo over the course of a few weekends, and then one day as Momo opened the practice room door, she’d find a room full of friends waiting for her. 

Sana had considered restaurants, but she liked having complete control of the space, and not having to pay for it was a plus. The building manager was more than happy to let Sana reserve the space, knowing it was for Momo’s birthday.   
  
  
  
After class one day, Mina pulled Momo aside and asked if she’d have any interest in working on a dance cover with her. It was for a new pop song Mina really liked. Naturally, Momo was up for the challenge. They planned to practice on Sundays when they both had some free time. 

Mina was nervous to begin working one-on-one with Momo. They had yet to be alone together since Sana and Mina switched back to normal. 

The more time she spent with Nayeon, Mina knew that she had to eventually tell Momo the truth about her old crush. If only to ease the lingering guilt and wall off that part of her life for good. Then, finally free, Mina could move forward with Nayeon as she was meant to. Easy. 

Or so Mina thought. 

The first day of practice, Mina could barely do anything other than stutter and nod along to what Momo said. It was like her mouth was incapable of forming the proper words. The words she _desperately_ needed to say. 

The session ended warmly, but as Mina walked back to the dorms with Momo, her heart felt cold. She felt like a total coward. 

The next week, at their second session, Mina was determined to tell Momo the truth. As they were stretching to warm up for practice, she opened up her mouth to start the conversation. Now was the perfect opportunity to get it off her chest. 

But the words stuck in Mina’s throat just as they had the practice before, and she couldn’t breathe. So, she clamped her mouth shut and the two stretched for a while in silence.

Why was it so hard for her to tell Momo the truth? Embarrassment maybe? Surely it was mostly shame, knowing she’d put Momo and Sana through unnecessary troubles. 

Mina expressed these worries to Jihyo, who simply shook her head at her friend’s anxiousness. “Momo won’t hold it against you. Sana did for some time, but look at how she is now. You’re practically best friends.”

It was reassuring to hear. Jihyo always seemed to know what to say. After a gentle pat to the head, Jihyo practically pushed Mina out the door to head to her last practice session before Momo’s party. 

The courage finally came to Mina this time right after they finished stretching. She blurted it out to Momo, surprisingly unwavering. Momo wiped the bangs out of her eyes, looking back at Mina as the girl told her that there was something she needed to say before they got started. 

This was it, no more hiding. Laying everything bare. 

“Not long after I met you, I developed a crush on you,” Mina began. “It was pretty bad, for some time, but died down after about a year.”

Straight to the point. Momo’s eyes widened, completely taken off guard. “Oh,” she replied, lamely. Not knowing what to say. 

“When Sana and I...switched...some of those old feelings came flooding back. So when I kissed you, it wasn’t because I felt pressured to do it, or like I had to in order to keep up the act. I did it because I wanted to. And that was completely selfish of me. I’m sorry.” Mina hung her head, biting her lip. She couldn’t hold eye contact with the other girl.

Absentmindedly, Momo ran her fingers along her lips for a moment. “I see.”

There was a moment of heavy silence that made Mina’s skin crawl. It was clear Momo wasn’t gonna say anything more, so Mina continued. 

“I don’t have those feelings anymore, obviously. I’m completely and only interested in Nayeon. I just wanted to be honest with you. It’s been weighing heavily on my mind these days.” Mina sighed, suddenly feeling self conscious about oversharing. 

Momo cleared her throat. “Thank you for telling me. I really didn’t know.” Her voice was apologetic and kind. 

Mina smiled a bit nervously, shifting her weight from foot to foot. “I know. You were quite oblivious. But it was for the best, anyway. You have Sana, and I have Nayeon.”

“It’s funny how it worked out that way. But I’m glad it did,” Momo replied, thoughtfully. “I’ve never seen Nayeon like this before. So mushy and happy.” She gave Mina a genuine smile. “I’m sorry though. It must have been hard for you.”

Mina shook her head, waving her hands dismissively. The last thing she wanted was for Momo to feel sorry for her. “No, don’t apologize. I survived. And now we’re here.” She paused for a moment, running her tongue over her front teeth. “I’m sorry to spring this on you. I hope this won’t make you uncomfortable.”   
  


Reaching across the space between them, Momo took one of Mina’s hands in her own, giving it an assuring squeeze. “Not at all, Mina. You’re my friend.”

Mina felt silly then, for worrying so much about how Momo would react in the first place. Momo was nothing but kind and thoughtful, so why wouldn’t she be now? Mina was pretty sure there wasn’t a single mean bone in the girl’s body. 

Releasing the breath she didn’t even realize she was holding, Mina nodded gratefully. “Thank you.” Her voice was small, causing Momo to give her hand one more squeeze. “Anyway, we should start soon, if you’re ready. Thanks for listening.”

And then they danced. They started from the top, but stopped when they ran into any difficulties or came up with any new modifications for the choreography. 

The dancing helped clear Mina’s head. As she spun around once, twice, three times, she found herself smiling as the weight of years of longing was completely lifted off her shoulders. 

She was free.   
  
  


* * *

  
  
The day of Momo’s surprise party, Sana was intensely focused on nothing else. With Nayeon’s help, they decorated the dance studio to the best of their ability. Hand-made decorations were pinned to the walls and hung from the ceiling. Lots of pink and pastel.  
  
  
  
Satisfied, Sana headed out to pick up the cake she had ordered from Momo’s favorite bakery. Tzuyu, Dahyun and Chaeyoung all made various appetizers and entrees which they brought to the practice room about 30 minutes before Momo and Mina were set to arrive. Everything was ready, and yet Sana remained in a frenzy making sure everything was perfect.  
  
  
  
Finally, Sana received a text from Mina that her and Momo were headed to the building together. “Alright everyone, they’re coming!” she announced. Everyone in the room hid behind tables and chairs as Nayeon ran to turn off the light. 

After about 5 minutes of crouching and excited whispering. The door to the practice room opened and everyone sprang up in unison, shouting “surprise!”  
  
  
  
Momo screamed bloody murder and practically jumped a foot in the air. The reaction even made Mina flinch, though she was expecting it. Everyone laughed at Momo, who was clutching her chest with a shocked expression on her face. 

“Happy birthday!” Sana sang, running up to greet Momo and giving her a kiss on the cheek. 

Momo stepped forward, eyes still wide as she marveled at the sight of all of her friends in one room. There was Nayeon, holding out her phone to record the entire thing. There was Chaeyoung and Tzuyu, smiling from where they stood behind a table. And Dahyun, hovering near a tasty looking cake decorated with Momo’s name on it in pink frosting. The rest of the people there were some of her favorite classmates.

“You’re all here for me?” Momo asked, eyes flickering over every smiling face. “But my birthday isn’t for another week!”

“And that’s what makes a surprise party a success,” Sana replied, giddily. She looped an arm through Momo’s and dragged her girlfriend forward toward the center of the room.  
  
  
  
Still dumbfounded, Momo gaped at the decorations and all the food laid out on various tables. The cake made Momo’s mouth water by simply looking at it. 

“So you were in on this too, huh?” Momo asked Mina.

Mina shot her friend a grin and nodded. “It was Sana’s idea for me to work on the cover with you. The perfect distraction and reason to get you here.”

Once Momo was surrounded by other friends, Mina felt an arm against her back, wrapping around her waistline. She looked to her right to see Nayeon besides her, leaning in. “Surprise parties are always lame, but Sana did a good job, don’t you think?”

Nayeon’s eyes were on Momo, who was grinning ear to ear and laughing with her friends. Sana, standing besides her girlfriend, was beaming. “I’m amazed at how she completely transformed this place. You couldn’t even tell this was a practice room. Besides the mirror, of course.”

Mina looked over to the wall length mirror, gazing at her reflection. Completely her own. Familiar. But with someone new besides her. 

“She put me to work. I hung up all the streamers and balloons,” Nayeon continued, pointing to them around the room.

“You did a great job.” Mina turned her head and gently placed a small kiss on Nayeon’s cheek. Nayeon, in surprise, turned her head as well and gave Mina her infectious and dopey, lopsided smile. 

“Aw, look at you two,” a voice called, tearing Mina and Nayeon away from each other. They glanced over to see Sana headed their way, smug. Then to Mina, she said: “Thanks for getting Momo here. Wouldn’t have been able to pull this off without you.”

“Hey, what about me!” Nayeon contended, pouting. 

Mina ignored her girlfriend and simply smiled at Sana. “It was fun. I can’t wait until you both can see our cover. Momo came up with this amazing choreography and—“

“Dance cover?” Mina was interrupted by a curious Dahyun, who had overheard as she walked by to grab some snacks. “Good to see you again, Mina,” she added, giving the girl a smile as she munched on her appetizers. 

All of Sana’s friends were still oblivious to the body-switching incident—and Sana intended to keep it that way, since it was done and over. 

“Momo and I worked on one,” Mina explained, happy to have the other girl’s attention. It was the first time she’d seen her in awhile actually, and she had missed her silliness. “Maybe we’ll save it for the end of semester recital.”

“I hope you and Momo can give me a private showing back at the dorm, I’d like a front row seat,” Nayeon murmured with a wink, causing Mina to scoff. Dahyun wrinkled her nose up in mock disgust, causing Nayeon to laugh. “Hey, I haven’t actually seen Mina dance before, okay?”

Dahyun simply shook her head and wandered back over toward Chaeyoung and Tzuyu. 

The party went on for another two hours, with everyone clearing out most of the food. After that, people slowly began trickling out until just a few people remained. 

Sana went to work cleaning the place, with Dahyun, Chaeyoung, Tzuyu, Mina and Nayeon’s help. Momo attempted to help, only to be scolded by Sana. “This is your birthday party. Leave this to us!”  
  
  


And so Momo awkwardly waited until the group was done, and the evidence of a party occurring in the room was all but gone. 

After the decorations and leftover cake was loaded up into Sana’s car, Sana and Momo wished everyone else goodbye. They were alone at last. 

They got into the car, and Momo shook her head as Sana started it up. “I can’t believe you did all that for me.”

Sana turned to look at her girlfriend, smiling warmly. “Why can’t you believe it? You’re the most important person in the world to me! Of course I’d want to treat you for your birthday. On your actual birthday, I already booked a dinner reservation for just the two of us. Your favorite place, right on the water.” 

Momo could feel her chest starting to compress as her eyes began to well up with tears. She sniffled once, twice, and then pulled Sana into a hug, wrapping her arms around her girlfriend tightly. “God, I love you.” 

“I love you too,” Sana whispered, closing her eyes as she melted into the hug. All this work and planning was definitely worth it. 

* * *

Something had been changing between Jeongyeon and Jihyo. Their dynamic was shifting, and Mina wasn’t blind to it. She welcomed it, actually. 

It was quite lovely to watch her two best friends fall in love. 

They were both so stubborn though, it took some pushing and coaxing. Then finally, when they settled, things felt almost as they always did. But if one looked closely, they could see the subtle differences in how Jihyo and Jeongyeon reacted around one another.  
  
  
  
There was merciless teasing that seamlessly turned into flirting. Their hands lingered on one another longer than they had before. Out in public, Jihyo found herself reaching for Jeongyeon’s hand. Jeongyeon would take it without thought. Up until Mina looked and noticed, that is. Then, Jihyo and Jeongyeon would break apart with a jolt, acting as if the whole ordeal never happened. 

“You have no need to be embarrassed about you and Jihyo,” Mina scolded Jeongyeon, when the two were alone in Jeongyeon’s apartment. They were waiting for Jihyo to finish up her last class of the day so she could join them. They both sat on the couch on their phones in a comfortable silence, until Mina decided to break it. “What are you so afraid of?”

Jeongyeon chewed her lip, continuing to look down at her phone screen. “How natural it feels,” she admitted. “How effortless it is. Like this is always how it’s been.”

“Maybe that’s because it is,” Mina said. “Maybe you two just never knew it, or never wanted to admit it to yourselves.”

Shaking her head firmly, Jeongyeon sighed. “No, she’s always been there. An infuriatingly good friend. That’s all I’ve ever seen her as, until now.”

“What changed then?” Mina asked, earnestly. She scooted closer to Jeongyeon. 

Jeongyeon set her phone down on the side table and leaned back, pulling her baseball cap down so that it was hiding her eyes. “You did.”

It was an unexpected answer. Taken off guard, Mina stopped playing her mobile game immediately. “W-what?”

“The bizarre situation with you and Sana helped me do some self-reflecting. On my feelings, past and present. While you were away, living Sana’s life, and now that you’re spending so much time with Nayeon, I realized that I would be left with just Jihyo a lot of the time. But that was _okay_. I liked the thought of me and her, together. Doing our own thing.”

She paused, fidgeting with a pocket zipper. “I guess Jihyo and I have gotten closer, while you’ve been with Nayeon. In a different way. When I look at her now, I feel something new and warm. And I don’t want to punch her in the face. Mostly.” 

Mina snorted at that, lips quirking up into a smile. “I’m happy for you both,” she replied. “It makes so much sense, the two of you together. I’m only sorry I didn’t realize it sooner, so I could’ve started pushing for it earlier.”

“So this isn’t weird for you?”

Mina shook her head. “Not at all,” she promised. 

That seemed to calm Jeongyeon’s racing thoughts, cause she nodded and pressed her lips together in satisfaction. “Good,” she murmured, slowly leaning to her left so that her head was resting on Mina’s shoulder.   
  
  


* * *

Nayeon’s first real encounter with Jihyo and Jeongyeon went by without a hitch, just as Mina said it would. But beforehand, Nayeon felt nervous to meet Mina’s friends. One of them was her ex, after all. 

Mina had begged Jihyo and Jeongyeon to not be weird and give Nayeon a hard time, but they insisted it was their duty as her friends. They had to “scope Nayeon out,” as they put it. Make sure Nayeon was good enough for Mina. 

Sure enough, Jihyo had a default glare on her face when Nayeon first arrived at their apartment, and Jeongyeon poked and prodded, as if interrogating Nayeon. 

But despite their best efforts, Nayeon managed to get through dinner without so much as a falter in her step. Because Mina was there beside her, lightly resting a hand on Nayeon’s thigh under the table. Warm and reassuring. 

Mina was happy with Nayeon. Jeongyeon and Jihyo could see that clearly, very early on into the night. And because of that, things loosened up as the girls ate their take out. 

Nayeon witnessed first hand just how close Jeongyeon and Jihyo really were, bickering like an old couple. Mina only laughed at their exchanges, used to their back and forths. By the end of the night, Nayeon was in on the jokes. Being teased herself, even. Jihyo and Jeongyeon found Nayeon was easy to tease, and she was a good sport about it too. 

“Your friends loved me,” Nayeon exclaimed, grinning as Mina walked her back to her dorm building later that night. There was a light flutter of snow falling from the sky, dusting the ground in a fresh layer of white. Snowflakes speckled the top of Nayeon’s head like a crown. Her cheeks were flushed from the chill, despite the fact that they’d only been outside for a few minutes. Mina thought then, how nice it would be to cover every inch of pink on Nayeon’s face with her lips. 

“Love is a strong word. Tolerated is more like it,” Mina said seriously, but quickly broke into an easy smile. With her head of blonde hair, she was glowing under the streetlight they were standing by. “See, I told you they would!”

“Yeah, yeah. I forget how lovable I am sometimes.”

Mina rolled her eyes at the smug expression on her girlfriend’s face. Her eyes absentmindedly flicked down to Nayeon’s lips, making Nayeon’s smirk intensify. “You’re infuriating.”  
  
  
  
“I know.”  
  
  
  
And then Mina leaned forward on a whim, eyes fluttering shut as she pressed her lips against Nayeon’s.

Nayeon felt her breath catch in her throat as she returned the kiss. It felt familiar, but also new. She was feeling Mina’s real lips for the first time. Mina’s hair quickly became intertwined between Nayeon’s fingers, while Mina cupped Nayeon’s face gently.

  
  
They stood like that under the streetlight, pressed against one another. And it was everything Nayeon thought it would be, and more. 

Mina returned to her dorm a few minutes later only to be met by Jeongyeon and Jihyo’s amused expressions. Despite their smugness, neither one commented on how red Mina’s face was, or the fact that her hair had become slightly askew. 

“What did you think of Nayeon?” Mina asked, stepping forward to lend a hand with the dishes. 

“She’s a little weird,” Jihyo said, causing Mina to narrow her eyes, “but then again, so are you.” 

* * *

  
  


“So…let’s talk about Mina,” Sana began, looking at Nayeon seriously.

It was a few weeks after Nayeon had dinner with Mina, Jeongyeon and Jihyo. Sana and Nayeon were walking home from the library together after midnight. They were there so late cramming before finals, which were creeping up much too fast for either of their liking. 

The campus was quiet and dimly lit at this hour. Actually a little creepy, if one was alone. That’s why Sana was grateful for Nayeon’s company. 

“What about her?” Nayeon replied, already not liking where Sana was going with this. 

“I mean _you_ and her, dummy. Things seem to be going well between you two.”

Shrugging, Nayeon turned her face away. “Yeah, you could say that.” Then, a bit softer. “Things have been perfect, actually. She’s kind of amazing.”

Sana grinned, enjoying the bashful look on Nayeon’s face. “I know. And so are you, which is why I’m so happy for you, Nay.”

“She’s smart, beautiful and not annoying like you and Momo,” Nayeon continued, chuckling at Sana’s glare. “I think I’m the more annoying one in the relationship, actually.”

“Big shocker, considering I’ve seen the flood of messages you send her every day,” Sana added, laughing right back at Nayeon’s narrowed eyes. But Nayeon’s fake frown quickly turned back into a smile again. 

“And how do you know that?”

“Mina and I talk, you know,” Sana said, looking satisfied. “Quite a lot, actually.” It was no surprise, after everything they’d been through, that the girls had remained close. Sana made it a point to reach out to Mina, despite already seeing her semi-often when she hung out with Nayeon. Mina was responsive and playful, always laughing at Sana’s jokes nearly as hard as she laughed at Nayeon’s. 

“I’m glad you guys do that.” Nayeon paused. “Talk, I mean. Are still friends, even after everything.”

“Me too,” Sana replied. “It would be weird to not have her in my life now.” She snuck a peek at Nayeon, smiling. “I know you feel the same.”

“Life before Mina was so sad,” Nayeon agreed, jokingly. 

“You still had Momo and I!” Sana retorted.  
  
  
  
“Yeah, exactly,” Nayeon scrunched her nose in disgust and clicked her tongue. “It was a long couple of years having to deal with you two. I’m much happier now.” 

“You sound like you’re in love,” Sana teased. 

Nayeon jumped up onto the curb they were walking beside, then jumped back off again. “Maybe I am.”

Sana looked up at her friend with a bit of surprise, which quickly faded to a look of pride. “Really?”

Nayeon shrugged, not meeting Sana’s eyes. “Yeah.”

Mouth forming a small “o”, Sana skipped in front of Nayeon, stopping her friend in her tracks. 

“That’s amazing!” Sana cried, eyes shining with joy. She took Nayeon by the shoulders and shook her excitedly, unable to contain herself. “Mina’s your first love!”

Nayeon stepped back out of Sana’s reach and continued walking, looking embarrassed. “I guess,” she mumbled.

Sana practically skipped forward to keep up. “I’m so happy for you,” she said, still beaming.  
  
  
  
Smiling back, Nayeon reached out and stuck her hand in Sana’s pocket, resting it there. “Thanks. For everything, really.”

She didn’t have to elaborate. Sana knew, giving Nayeon a firm nod. “You know what this means though, right?” There was a dramatic pause as she waited for Nayeon to make eye contact with her again. “More double dates!”  
  
  


* * *

A few months later, Nayeon got it in her head that her and Mina absolutely _had_ to go stargazing. She’d watched a tv show where two main characters did that, and it was romantic and beautiful. It would be a good opportunity for the two of them to get off campus. So, Nayeon informed Mina of her plan, eyes shining with excitement, and Mina found herself agreeing before she even had time to register the words leaving her girlfriend’s mouth. 

Mina wasn’t opposed to stargazing. In fact, she was intrigued by the thought. But logistically, the year was transitioning from winter to spring. There was no more snow, but the nights were still bitingly chilly. 

She didn’t have it in her to burst Nayeon’s bubble though, so she made a mental note to ensure they both bundled up tight. They’d need to in order to last an hour or two outside.

Doing the proper research, Nayeon found the perfect stargazing spot, away from any light pollution. On a Friday night, Nayeon drove the two of them up the winding hills until they reached an overpass. Pulling off to the side of the road, Nayeon retrieved a few blankets from her trunk and spread one on the grass in front of them. Mina had insisted they at least bring a few, on top of bundling up in warm jackets. 

As they laid down, side by side, Nayeon quickly awed at the number of stars twinkling above them, seemingly endless. 

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen this many stars before,” Mina murmured, taking in the sight as well. “At least not in a very long time.”

Nayeon began to point out the few basic constellations she knew off-hand, but others were much harder to spot. Mina really knew nothing about the stars either, so she reached into her bag and pulled out her phone. Wordlessly, she pulled up a stargazing app and pointed her camera at the sky. 

Her phone was able to identify all the constellations in front of them, as well as several planets. Only one of which was clearly visible to the human eye at the moment, Mars. 

“Wait, let me see,” Nayeon said, swiping Mina’s phone from her and pointing it upward herself. Nayeon had a habit of grabbing Mina’s phone whenever they were looking at something on it. Mina would have normally been annoyed, but the look of wonder on Nayeon’s face was too wholesome. Any snarky comment immediately died down in Mina’s throat. 

“This is incredible!” Nayeon exclaimed, clearly impressed. And she played around with the app for another ten minutes, asking Mina all sorts of questions, before she finally returned Mina’s phone.  
  
  
  
They sat in a comfortable silence after that. Nayeon scooted closer so that under the blanket, their arms were touching. “Thanks for doing this with me,” she said softly, eyes still fixated on the night sky. 

“There’s not anyone I’d rather brave the cold with more,” Mina replied, eyes flickering to gaze at her girlfriend, who was now starting to shyly smile. 

Then, Mina rolled on her side, facing Nayeon. She remained like that for a few minutes, holding her breath, before she leaned forward and lightly pressed her lips against Nayeon’s jawline.

The gesture took Nayeon by surprise. Eyes wide, Nayeon rolled onto her side as well to face Mina. Screw the stars. Mina looked beautiful as always. So beautiful, it made Nayeon’s chest ache. 

“I think I’m in love with you,” Nayeon blurted out. The words came tumbling out as if they had a mind of their own. 

There was a silence between the two as Mina digested what she just heard. Lips parted slightly, she looked at Nayeon with wide eyes.

“You don’t have to say it back,” Nayeon insisted, wanting to kick herself. “I just...wanted you to know how I feel.”

_Great, she had now made the night incredibly awkward. Might as well just pack up and leave—  
  
_   
  
“I love you too, Nayeon.”

Nayeon’s jaw went slack. Another moment of silence settled between them. “You...you do?”

Mina shyly nodded. “I’ve felt this way for awhile. I just didn’t have the courage to say it first. So I’m glad you did.” 

“Oh.” 

At the look of shock on Nayeon’s face, Mina giggled. “Come closer. I’m cold.”

Nayeon scooted forward so that Mina could snake a leg around her under the blankets. Mina buried her face in the crook of Nayeon’s neck. “You’re warm,” she murmured, satisfied. Then she closed her eyes, melting into Nayeon. 

They didn’t do much stargazing. But under the stars, they were happy.  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that's it! 
> 
> I know it's been a long time coming. Thanks so much for your patience! 
> 
> I quickly proofread this epilogue, so hope there aren't any glaring errors...
> 
> I'm sad to let these characters go. They all have a special place in my heart. 
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this!


End file.
